Sunday, October 30, 2011 (Thirty-First Sunday in Ordinary Time)

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Little Sisters, take good care for the aged, for in them you are caring for Christ Himself.
-- Bl. Jeanne Jugan

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Malachi 1:14 -- 2:2, 8-10
14 A curse on the cheater who sacrifices a worthless animal to me, when he has in his flock a good animal that he promised to give me! For I am a great king, and people of all nations fear me.”
------2
1    "And now, O priests, this command is for you.
2    If you will not listen, if you will not lay it to heart to give glory to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings; indeed I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart.8    But you have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble by your instruction; you have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts,
9    and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you have not kept my ways but have shown partiality in your instruction."
10    Have we not all one father? Has not one God created us? Why then are we faithless to one another, profaning the covenant of our fathers?
Psalms: Psalm 131:1-3
(A Prayer of Humble Trust)
1 Lord, I have given up my pride and turned away from my arrogance. I am not concerned with great matters or with subjects too difficult for me.
2 Instead, I am content and at peace. As a child lies quietly in its mother's arms, so my heart is quiet within me.
3 Israel, trust in the Lord now and forever!
Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2:7-9, 13
7 even though as apostles of Christ we could have made demands on you. But we were gentle when we were with you, like a mother  taking care of her children. 8 Because of our love for you we were ready to share with you not only the Good News from God but even our own lives. You were so dear to us! 9 Surely you remember, our friends, how we worked and toiled! We worked day and night so that we would not be any trouble to you as we preached to you the Good News from God.
13 And there is another reason why we always give thanks to God. When we brought you God's message, you heard it and accepted it, not as a message from human beings but as God's message, which indeed it is. For God is at work in you who believe.
Gospel: Matthew 23:1-12
(Jesus Warns against the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees)
1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples.
2 “The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees are the authorized interpreters of Moses' Law.
3 So you must obey and follow everything they tell you to do; do not, however, imitate their actions, because they don't practice what they preach.
4 They tie onto people's backs loads that are heavy and hard to carry, yet they aren't willing even to lift a finger to help them carry those loads.
5 They do everything so that people will see them. Look at the straps with scripture verses on them which they wear on their foreheads and arms, and notice how large they are! Notice also how long are the tassels on their cloaks!
6 They love the best places at feasts and the reserved seats in the synagogues;
7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to have people call them ‘Teacher.’
8 You must not be called ‘Teacher,’ because you are all equal and have only one Teacher.
9 And you must not call anyone here on earth ‘Father,’ because you have only the one Father in heaven.
10 Nor should you be called ‘Leader,’ because your one and only leader is the Messiah.  The greatest one among you must be your servant.   Whoever makes himself great will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be made great.