Sunday November 3, 2024
Thirty-First Sunday of the Year
Office: Psalter Week 3, Te Deum
Mass prop. Gloria. Creed.
Vestment: Green
Today’s Rosary: The Glorious Mystery

Click HERE for the Previous Catholic Daily Reading

Vespers of the 31st Sunday of the Year

Theme of tile Sunday: LOVE AND DO WHAT YOU LIKE!
The presentation of the message of the word of God for this Sunday could begin with the Gospel. Love that comes from God and spreads to all is the synthesis of all commandments. One lives one’s life and comes close to God only when one loves. The first reading teaches us that the law of God is not a hard imposition; it is a gift from the Father to show us the way to happiness. The reading helps us to understand what it means to love God. The second reading is related to this: by giving his life for us, Jesus taught us how we too can love God.

FIRST READING
“Head: O Israel, you shall love the Lord with all your heart.”
A reading from the Book of Deuteronomy 6:2-6

Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Fear the Lord your God, you and your son and your son’s son, by keeping all his statutes and his commandments, which I command you, all the days of your life; that your days may be prolonged. Hear therefore, O Israel, and be careful to do them; that it may go well with you, and that you may multiply greatly, as the Lord, the God of your fathers, has promised you, in a land flowing with milk and honey. “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, anal with all your might. And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart.”

The word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps 18:2-3a, 3bc—4.47 and 51 ab (R. 2)
R/. I love you, Lord, my strength.

I love you, Lord, my strength;
O Lord, my rock, my fortress, my saviour. R/.

My God, my rock where I take refuge;
my shield, my saving strength, my stronghold.
I cry out, “Praised be the Lord!”
and see, I am saved from my foes. R/.

R/. I love you, Lord, my strength.

The Lord lives, and blest be my Rock!
May the God of my salvation be exalted.
The Lord gives great victories to his king,
and shows merciful love for his anointed. R/.

SECOND READING
“He holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever.”
A reading from the Letter to the Hebrews 7:23-28

Brethren: The priests [of the former covenant] were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office; but Christ holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever. Consequently he is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, blameless, unstained, separated from sinners, exalted above the heavens. He has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people; he did this once for all when he offered up himself. Indeed, the law appoints men in their weakness as high priests, but the word of the oath, which came later than the law, appoints a Son who has been made perfect for ever.

The word of the Lord.

ALLELUIA John 14:23
Alleluia. If a man loves me, he will keep my word; says the Lord; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him. Alleluia.

GOSPEL
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Mark 12:28b-34
“You shall love the Lord your God. You shall love your neighbour. ”

At that time: One of the scribes came up to Jesus and asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that he is one, and there is no other but he; and to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbour as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And after that no one dared to ask him any question.

The Gospel of the Lord.
PRAYER OF THE FAITHFUL

Celebrant:
Dear brothers and sisters, the path to eternal life is that of love: love of God and love of one another. Let us ask for the grace to love God with all our being and to love one another as Christ has loved us.

FOR THE CHURCH: that she may continue to be an instrument of God’s unconditional love to humanity and a source of unity among all peoples. Let us pray to the Lord.

FOR PUBLIC AUTHORITIES: that they may enhance the future of our children through the provision of affordable quality education and a secure learning environment. Let us pray to the Lord.

FOR MARRIED COUPLES: that God, who is love himself, may fill their marriage with lasting and faithful love. Let us pray to the Lord.

FOR OURSELVES: that we may concretely show our love for God by selflessly seeking the good of our neighbours, especially those who are most in need of our assistance. Let us pray to the Lord.

FOR OTHER INTENTIONS: (the sick, church projects or other activities).

FOR THE DEAD, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF OUR PARISH COMMUNITY AND FAMILY MEMBERS: that they may find eternal rest with the Lord. Let us pray to the Lord.

We pray in silence for our private intentions.

Celebrant:
God our Father, you reveal your will to us and teach us your precepts. By your gracious assistance, may we abide by them in every situation of our lives and may we truly love you in one another. Through Christ our Lord.
R/. Amen.

TODAY’S REFLECTION
Love of God and love of neighbor are the two legs on which we walk to the kingdom of God. We cannot truly love God without loving our neighbor and we cannot truly love our neighbor without love of God. St John puts it succinctly when he says that you cannot love God whom you cannot see if you do not love your brother whom you can see. In truth, our entire Christian life sums up these two commandments, because our response to them will ultimately determine our eternal destiny. Love does not simply make the world go round; it makes our lives more meaningful. “In the evening of our lives, we will be judged on love.

PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL 
Sing with us: “Into my life 2x, come into my life, Lord Jesus, come into stay…”

  • Tell Jesus about the heavy loads crushing you.
  • Ask for mercy for the times you took your troubles to other gods.
  • Invite Jesus into your life and family.

Let Us Pray,
Mary my Mother of Perpetual Help, with trust in you as my spiritual mother in the family of Christ Jesus, I implore your maternal intercession, inspired me by the example of your life and faith in the name of Jesus, I think of you at that moment when, full of faith and trust, you accepted God’s call to be the mother of His Son. Help me, your child, to accept with joy my own calling in life in the name of Jesus. When you learned that your cousin Elizabeth was in need you immediately went to serve her and offer your help. Help me, like you, to be concerned for others in the name of Jesus. I think of you, Mother, at the foot of the cross. Your heart must have bled to see your Son in agony. But your Joy was great when he rose from the dead, victorious over the powers of evil. Mother of sorrows, help me through the trials and disappointments of life. Help me not to lose heart. May I share with you and your Son the joy of having courageously faced all the challenges of life in the name of Jesus Amen