Tuesday November 12, 2024
SAINT JOSAPHAT, Bishop and Martyr (Memorial)
Office: Memorial, Psalter Week 4
Mass and Preface of the Memorial
Vestment: Red
Today’s Rosary: The Sorrowful Mystery
Click HERE for the Previous Catholic Daily Reading
Death Anniversary of Archbishop Stephen Ezeanya of ONITSHA: 12/11/9
Entrance Antiphon
Because of the Lord’s covenant and the ancestral laws, the Saints of God persevered in loving brotherhood, for there was always one spirit in them, and one faith.
Collect
Stir up in your Church, we pray, O Lord, the Spirit that filled Saint Josaphat as he laid down his life for the sheep, so that through his intercession we, too, may be strengthened by the same Spirit and not be afraid to lay down our life for others. Through our Lord……..
FIRST READING
We must live godly lives, awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to Titus (Titus 2.1-8. 11-14)
Beloved: Teach what befits sound doctrine. Bid the older men be temperate, serious, sensible, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Bid the older women likewise to be reverent in behaviour, not to be slanderers or slaves to drink; they are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be sensible, chaste, domestic, kind, and submissive to their husbands, that the word of God may not be discredited. Likewise urge the younger men to control themselves. Show yourself in all respects a model of good deeds, and in your teaching show integrity, gravity, and sound speech that cannot be censured, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say of us. For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright, and godly lives in this world, awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Ps 37:3-4.18 and 23.27 and 29 (R. 39a)
R/. From the Lord comes the salvation of the just.
Trust in the Lord and do good;
then you will dwell in the land
and safely pasture.
Find your delight in the Lord,
who grants your heart’s desire. R/.
The Lord takes note of the days of the blameless;
their heritage will last forever.
By the Lord are the steps made firm
of one in whose path He delights. R/.
R/. From the Lord comes the salvation of the just.
Then turn away from evil and do good,
and you may abide forever.
The just shall inherit the land;
there they shall abide forever. R/.
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
“We are unworthy servants, we have only done what was our duty.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 17:7- 10)
At that time: Jesus said, “Will any one of you, who has a servant ploughing or keeping sheep, say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and put on your apron and serve me, till I eat and drink; and afterward you shall eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that is commanded you, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty. ”’
The Gospel of the Lord.
TODAY’S REFLECTION
How should a Christian live in the midst of non-Christians? St Paul urges Titus to be a model of good deeds, integrity, gravity and soundness in speech. People of all categories need to practice such good deeds. Jesus in today’s gospel asks us to carry on with our duties in humility and dedication as faithful servants. When we live in faithfulness, humility, integrity and self-control, our opponent will have no charge against us. Looking at the way the early Christians lived their faith-filled life, the pagans would say. “See how they love one another!” (Tertullian). The first enemy of Christianity is a scandalous Christian. And the best defence for Christianity is exemplary Christian living.
PERSONAL DEVOTIONAL
Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. Let evil recoil on those who slander me; in your faithfulness destroy them. I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, LORD, for it is good. Psalm 54:4-6
- Grant that I may put all my trust in you.
- Assist me to be more committed to doing your will every day of my life.
Let Us Pray,
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen.
