November 7, 2013

Thursday of the Thirty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 488
Reading 1 ROM 14:7-12

Brothers and sisters:
None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself.

Life is not about us.  

For if we live, we live for the Lord,
and if we die, we die for the Lord;
so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.

God is the center of our lives whether we recognize it or not.  We belong to God.

For this is why Christ died and came to life,
that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

Christ died and came back in order to prove that He is the Master of both the living and the dead.

Why then do you judge your brother or sister?
Or you, why do you look down on your brother or sister?
For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God;
for it is written:

As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bend before me,
and every tongue shall give praise to God.

So then each of us shall give an account of himself to God.

Therefore, do not judge your brother.  God is the Judge of all.  

Responsorial Psalm PS 27:1BCDE, 4, 13-14

R. ( 13) I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life’s refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?

R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.

R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

The Land of the living is heaven.  And in heaven, we shall see the Good things of God.  No one has heard, seen nor imagined the good things which God has in store for those who love Him.

Gospel LK 15:1-10

The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
“This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

The Pharisees were complaining that Jesus was in the company of sinners.

So Jesus addressed this parable to them.
“What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them
would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert
and go after the lost one until he finds it?
And when he does find it,
he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
and, upon his arrival home,
he calls together his friends and neighbors and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’

And Jesus said, "what man having lost one sheep out of a hundred, will not leave the 99 in the desert and go in search of the lost one?"

I tell you, in just the same way
there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous people
who have no need of repentance.

But Heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents the way that man rejoiced upon finding the lost sheep.

“Or what woman having ten coins and losing one
would not light a lamp and sweep the house,
searching carefully until she finds it?
And when she does find it,
she calls together her friends and neighbors
and says to them,
‘Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost.’
In just the same way, I tell you,
there will be rejoicing among the angels of God
over one sinner who repents.”

The creatures of heaven rejoice when men turn to God and are saved.