Category: Verse for the day

“The Lord said to Satan, ‘Behold, all that he has is in your power.’ ” –Job 1:12 Mass Readings: September 26 First: Job 1:6-22; Resp: Psalm 17:1-3,6-7; Gospel: Luke 9:46-50 Satan is the father of lies (Jn 8:44). He is the expert in tempting us. For example, he tried to get Job to say something “disrespectful of God” (Jb 1:22) and to curse God (Jb 2:9). Job, however, did not fall for Satan’s series of temptations. First, Satan had the Sabeans steal Job’s oxen and asses (Jb 1:14-15). In our economy, this would have been a theft of several thousand...

“Between you and us there is fixed a great abyss, so that those who might wish to cross from here to you cannot do so, nor can anyone cross from your side to us.” –Luke 16:26 Mass Readings: September 25 First: Amos 6:1,4-7;Resp: Psalm 146:7-10; Second: 1 Timothy 6:11-16;Gospel: Luke 16:19-31 The rich man, traditionally known as Dives, spent eternity staring across a great chasm separating himself from the Lord (Lk 16:26). How ironic! Dives spent his lifetime constructing this chasm (or gulf) to isolate himself from the poor. Now this gulf, built day by day during his life, could...

“You make an end of them in their sleep.” –Psalm 90:5 Mass Readings: September 24 First: Ecclesiastes 11:9–12:8; Resp: Psalm 90:3-6,12-14,17; Gospel: Luke 9:43-45 The author of Ecclesiastes, living centuries before the revelation of Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life (Jn 11:25), is naturally pessimistic about life. For example, he goes on and on about growing old. Then he speaks of death in six ways. Death is like going home, a snapped cord, a broken bowl, a shattered pitcher, a pulley fallen into a well, and dust returning to earth (Eccl 12:5-7). It isn’t enough for him to say that...

Jesus “put the question to them, ‘Who do the crowds say that I am?’ ” –Luke 9:18 Mass Readings: September 23 First: Galatians 2:19-20; Resp: Psalm 16:1-2,5-8,11; Gospel: Matthew 16:24-27 Before Jesus asked His disciples: “Who do you say that I am?” (Lk 9:20), He asked: “Who do the crowds say that I am?” (Lk 9:18) Jesus did this to show we must separate ourselves from the crowd if we are to truly acknowledge Him as the Messiah, Lord, and God (see Lk 9:20). Crowd-pleasers aren’t God-pleasers. Jesus is not popular; He is a “sign of contradiction” (Lk 2:34 our...

“Vanity of vanities!” –Ecclesiastes 1:2 Mass Readings: September 22 First: Ecclesiastes 1:2-11; Resp: Psalm 90:3-6,12-14,17; Gospel: Luke 9:7-9 The book of Ecclesiastes is traditionally attributed to Solomon because its author, Qoheleth, is identified as David’s son (Eccl 1:1). This association makes the message of Ecclesiastes more poignant. Qoheleth, or possibly Solomon, announced that everything is vanity, work and money are useless (Eccl 1:3), “there is nothing man can say” (Eccl 1:8), and all our entertainments are empty (Eccl 1:8). This is quite a statement for anyone to make, but it’s even more significant coming from the mouth of the wisest,...