First reading Ephesians 1:1-10
Before the world was made, God chose us in Christ
From Paul, appointed by God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, to the saints who are faithful to Christ Jesus. Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who has blessed us with all the spiritual blessings of heaven in Christ.
Before the world was made, he chose us, chose us in Christ,
to be holy and spotless, and to live through love in his presence,
determining that we should become his adopted sons, through Jesus Christ
for his own kind purposes,
to make us praise the glory of his grace,
his free gift to us in the Beloved,
in whom, through his blood, we gain our freedom, the forgiveness of our sins.
Such is the richness of the grace
which he has showered on us
in all wisdom and insight.
He has let us know the mystery of his purpose,
the hidden plan he so kindly made in Christ from the beginning
to act upon when the times had run their course to the end:
that he would bring everything together under Christ, as head,
everything in the heavens and everything on earth.
Responsorial Psalm 97(98):1-6
Gospel Luke 11:47-54
You have not gone in yourselves and have prevented others who wanted to
Jesus said: ‘Alas for you who build the tombs of the prophets, the men your ancestors killed! In this way you both witness what your ancestors did and approve it; they did the killing, you do the building.
‘And that is why the Wisdom of God said, “I will send them prophets and apostles; some they will slaughter and persecute, so that this generation will have to answer for every prophet’s blood that has been shed since the foundation of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was murdered between the altar and the sanctuary.” Yes, I tell you, this generation will have to answer for it all.
‘Alas for you lawyers who have taken away the key of knowledge! You have not gone in yourselves, and have prevented others going in who wanted to.’
When he left the house, the scribes and the Pharisees began a furious attack on him and tried to force answers from him on innumerable questions, setting traps to catch him out in something he might say.
Loved and Chosen
St Paul begins his letter to the Ephesians by stating, “Before the world was made, he chose us, chose us in Christ, to be holy and spotless, and to live through love in his presence…” God’s love for us is eternal and unconditional. He did not begin loving us on the day we were born, when we first opened our hearts to Him or when we chose to do good. This truth can encourage us during moments when we feel forgotten or unloved. God sees us as His beloved children and continues to love us even when we make mistakes or turn away from Him. Being loved and chosen by God means that we are called to share His love with others so that they too can recognise that they are precious in God’s sight.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks against people who honour the prophets of the past while refusing to accept the truth God speaks in the present. Likewise, we may admire saints and courageous people from the past but ignore those who speak uncomfortable truths to us now. Today, let us be humble and open, even when God’s message challenges us.
Reflective question:
Do I share God’s love with others and remain open to His truth, even when it challenges me?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year A” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD
