“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.” (Lk 9:44)
FIRST READING: ECCL 11:9—12:8
A reading from the Book of Ecclesiastes
Rejoice, O young man, while you are young
and let your heart be glad in the days of your youth.
Follow the ways of your heart,
the vision of your eyes;
Yet understand that as regards all this
God will bring you to judgment.
Ward off grief from your heart
and put away trouble from your presence,
though the dawn of youth is fleeting.
Remember your Creator in the days of your youth,
before the evil days come
And the years approach of which you will say,
I have no pleasure in them;
Before the sun is darkened,
and the light, and the moon, and the stars,
while the clouds return after the rain;
When the guardians of the house tremble,
and the strong men are bent,
And the grinders are idle because they are few,
and they who look through the windows grow blind;
When the doors to the street are shut,
and the sound of the mill is low;
When one waits for the chirp of a bird,
but all the daughters of song are suppressed;
And one fears heights,
and perils in the street;
When the almond tree blooms,
and the locust grows sluggish
and the caper berry is without effect,
Because man goes to his lasting home,
and mourners go about the streets;
Before the silver cord is snapped
and the golden bowl is broken,
And the pitcher is shattered at the spring,
and the broken pulley falls into the well,
And the dust returns to the earth as it once was,
and the life breath returns to God who gave it.
Vanity of vanities, says Qoheleth,
all things are vanity!
GOSPEL OF THE DAY: LK 9:43B-45
From the Gospel according to Luke
While they were all amazed at his every deed,
Jesus said to his disciples,
“Pay attention to what I am telling you.
The Son of Man is to be handed over to men.”
But they did not understand this saying;
its meaning was hidden from them
so that they should not understand it,
and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
SATURDAY OF THE TWENTY-FIFTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Lk 9:43-45)
THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE
Dear People of God,
The Word of God in today's Gospel foretells the mystery of Jesus Christ's death and resurrection after three days.
God wants to affirm to everyone that: The Son of God came to earth to become a human being. He would have to suffer and die on the cross to reach glory, to bring eternal life to people. That is a mystery. The Son of God came to earth to become a human being not only to seek physical benefits for people, but He always directs people to an eternal life in the future.
God knows that people's hearts only want happiness and peace right now without looking to the future, which is eternal life. Therefore, God came to earth to accompany people. He invites everyone: to enter the mystery of suffering with Jesus Christ, to carry the cross with Him up to Calvary, and to die with Him to enjoy the glorious life in His Father's Kingdom.
When Jesus predicted suffering, the disciples' hearts and minds were still fascinated by His great miracles. However, God does not want people to stop at worldly miracles. Instead, He always directs people to live and practice according to God's teachings, which are: to love God above all things and to love others as oneself.
Today, God invites everyone to look up to the example of the self-sacrificing love of Jesus Christ who died on the cross for humanity, and to live according to His example. Only God is a shining example of love. People need to look up to that example to live and practice according to His will, to enjoy happiness in His Father's Kingdom. Let us follow the Holy Master Jesus, suffer together, carry the cross with Him up to Calvary, and die together to have eternal life.
God invites everyone to look at the example of Mother Mary. She followed Jesus Christ up to Calvary to suffer and die with Him. God also calls everyone to abandon everything that belongs to this world and move towards eternal life in the future. It is a life that walks in the mystery of the cross and suffering of the Son of God.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
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