Monday, October 31, 2011 (Weekday)

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
A soul can do nothing that is more pleasing to God than to communicate in a state of grace.
-- St. Alphonsus Liguori
First Reading: Romans 11:29-36 (Praise to God)
29 For God does not change his mind about whom he chooses and blesses. 
30 As for you Gentiles, you disobeyed God in the past; but now you have received God's mercy because the Jews were disobedient.
31 In the same way, because of the mercy that you have received, the Jews now disobey God, in order that they also may now receive God's mercy.

32 For God has made all people prisoners of disobedience, so that he might show mercy to them all.
33 How great are God's riches! How deep are his wisdom and knowledge! Who can explain his decisions? Who can understand his ways?
34 As the scripture says, “Who knows the mind of the Lord?
Who is able to give him advice?
35 Who has ever given him anything, so that he had to pay it back?”
36 For all things were created by him, and all things exist through him and for him. To God be the glory forever! Amen.
Psalms: Psalm 69:30-31, 33-34, 36-37
30 I will praise God with a song; I will proclaim his greatness by giving him thanks.
31 This will please the Lord more than offering him cattle, more than sacrificing a full-grown bull.
33 The Lord listens to those in need and does not forget his people in prison.
34 Praise God, O heaven and earth, seas and all creatures in them.
36 the descendants of his servants will inherit it, and those who love him will live there.
Gospel: Luke 14:12-14
12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your rich neighbors—for they will invite you back, and in this way you will be paid for what you did. 
13 When you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind; 
14 and you will be blessed, because they are not able to pay you back. God will repay you on the day the good people rise from death.”