Monday, October 03, 2011 (Weekday)

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
A man who fails to love the Mass fails to love Christ. We must make an effort to "live" the Mass with calm and serenity, with devotion and affection. And this is why I have always suspected that those who want the Mass to be over with quickly show, with this insensitive attitude, that they have not yet realized what the sacrifice of the altar means.
-- St. Josemaría Escriva de Balaguer


READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Jonah 1:1 -- 2:2, 11
(Jonah Disobeys the Lord)
1 One day the Lord spoke to Jonah son of Amittai.
2 He said, Go to Nineveh, that great city, and speak out against it; I am aware of how wicked its people are.
3 Jonah, however, set out in the opposite direction in order to get away from the Lord. He went to Joppa, where he found a ship about to go to Spain. He paid his fare and went aboard with the crew to sail to Spain, where he would be away from the Lord.

4 But the Lord sent a strong wind on the sea, and the storm was so violent that the ship was in danger of breaking up.
5 The sailors were terrified and cried out for help, each one to his own god. Then, in order to lessen the danger,[a] they threw the cargo[b] overboard. Meanwhile, Jonah had gone below and was lying in the ship's hold, sound asleep.
6 The captain found him there and said to him, What are you doing asleep? Get up and pray to your god for help. Maybe he will feel sorry for us and spare our lives. 
7 The sailors said to each other, Let's draw lots and find out who is to blame for getting us into this danger. They did so, and Jonah's name was drawn.8 So they said to him, Now, then, tell us! Who is to blame for this? What are you doing here? What country do you come from? What is your nationality?
9 I am a Hebrew, Jonah answered. I worship the Lord, the God of heaven, who made land and sea.
10 Jonah went on to tell them that he was running away from the Lord. The sailors were terrified, and said to him, That was an awful thing to do![c]11 The storm was getting worse all the time, so the sailors asked him, What should we do to you to stop the storm? 
12 Jonah answered, Throw me into the sea, and it will calm down. I know it is my fault that you are caught in this violent storm. 
13 Instead, the sailors tried to get the ship to shore, rowing with all their might. But the storm was becoming worse and worse, and they got nowhere.14 So they cried out to the Lord, O Lord, we pray, don't punish us with death for taking this man's life! You, O Lord, are responsible for all this; it is your doing.
15 Then they picked Jonah up and threw him into the sea, and it calmed down at once.
16 This made the sailors so afraid of the Lord that they offered a sacrifice and promised to serve him.
17 At the Lord's command a large fish swallowed Jonah, and he was inside the fish for three days and three nights.
(Jonah's Prayer)
1 From deep inside the fish Jonah prayed to the Lord his God:
2 In my distress, O Lord, I called to you, and you answered me. From deep in the world of the dead I cried for help, and you heard me.
Psalms: Jonah 2:3-5, 8
 3 You threw me down into the depths, to the very bottom of the sea, where the waters were all around me, and all your mighty waves rolled over me.
 4 I thought I had been banished from your presence and would never see your holy Temple again.
 5 The water came over me and choked me; the sea covered me completely, and seaweed wrapped around my head.
Gospel: Luke 10:25-37
(The Parable of the Good Samaritan)
25 A teacher of the Law came up and tried to trap Jesus. Teacher, he asked, what must I do to receive eternal life?
26 Jesus answered him, What do the Scriptures say? How do you interpret them?
27 The man answered, Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind; and Love your neighbor as you love yourself. 
28 You are right, Jesus replied; do this and you will live.
29 But the teacher of the Law wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, Who is my neighbor?
30 Jesus answered, There was once a man who was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when robbers attacked him, stripped him, and beat him up, leaving him half dead.
31 It so happened that a priest was going down that road; but when he saw the man, he walked on by on the other side.
32 In the same way a Levite also came there, went over and looked at the man, and then walked on by on the other side.
33 But a Samaritan who was traveling that way came upon the man, and when he saw him, his heart was filled with pity.
34 He went over to him, poured oil and wine on his wounds and bandaged them; then he put the man on his own animal and took him to an inn, where he took care of him.
35 The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. Take care of him, he told the innkeeper, and when I come back this way, I will pay you whatever else you spend on him.
36 And Jesus concluded, In your opinion, which one of these three acted like a neighbour toward the man attacked by the robbers?
37 The teacher of the Law answered, The one who was kind to him. Jesus replied, You go, then, and do the same.