Reflections on the Daily Readings 31st October 2022
Monday 31st October
Hallowed be the Eve
Given its association with witches, goblins, and the like, it might seem strange that Halloween is actually a Catholic holiday. Halloween, or Hallowe'en, is an abbreviation for “All Hallows Eve,” a celebration the night before All Saints’ and All Souls’ Days (November 1 and 2). Just like on the night before Christmas or before Ash Wednesday, people make merry on October 31—with costumes and parties for kids and adults alike—before the more solemn days to come. Take a cue this week from Mexican culture’s festive Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) to pay respects with a joyful heart to those who have gone before us.
Today's readings: Philippians 2:1-4; Luke 14:12-14 (485).
“When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.”
Tuesday 1st November
It’s the company you keep
“It is the example of the righteous that we must make our own,” instructed Pope Clement of Rome. “Seek the company of the saints, for those who seek their company shall be sanctified.” Catholics believe in the communion of saints: all who have attained a place at the heavenly banquet—and from whom we seek inspiration, example, and intercession. They include Saint Francis as well as someone’s Uncle Frank, Saint Gertrude the Great along with a great many grandmas. Images of both famous and ordinary saints informed the work of artist John Nava for the stunning Communion of Saints tapestries at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles; let them grace your prayer today. SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS
Today's readings: Revelation 7:2-4, 9-14; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12a (667).
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven."
Wednesday 2nd November
Dressing for the dearly departed
All Souls’ Day is celebrated in many different ways, depending on one’s culture. Some celebrate the season by dressing up. Others honor Día de los Muertos by having feasts at cemeteries, where stories are told and gifts are offered to the ancestors. Some spend the day with doors and windows wide open as a symbol of welcoming the dearly departed. In all different ways, life is celebrated, the life we shared with loved ones who have died, and the life we continue to share with them and one another in new ways. What will be your All Souls’ Day custom today? COMMEMORATION OF ALL THE FAITHFUL DEPARTED (ALL SOULS’ DAY)
Today's readings: Wisdom 3:1-9; Romans 5:5-11 or Romans 6:3-9; John 6:37-40 (668).
“The souls of the just are in the hand of God.”
Thursday 3rd November
The struggle for racial justice continues
In 1947, the Catholic Interracial Council of Los Angeles sued the state of California to challenge the law that prohibited interracial marriages. At the time laws in 30 states made interracial marriages illegal. The challenge cited Catholic teaching to argue that racism is inherently evil and irrational. The lawsuit succeeded, a step along the long road to racial justice. Peruvian Saint Martin de Porres, born out of wedlock in 1579 to a Spanish nobleman and a formerly enslaved African woman, is patron of mixed-race people and all those seeking racial harmony. Ask Saint Martin to help us keep up the fight for racial justice. MEMORIAL OF MARTIN DE PORRES, DOMINICAN BROTHER
Today's readings: Philippians 3:3-8a; Luke 15:1-10 (488).
“He, the LORD, is our God; throughout the earth his judgments prevail.”
Friday 4th November
An inspiration in trying times
Many lessons can be drawn from our experience these difficult years of the epidemic. Foremost among them is that we have to be there for each other. During the 1576-78 Plague of Milan, when many city officials fled the scene, Archbishop Borromeo stayed the course, not only organizing a wide-ranging clerical response to the temporal and spiritual needs of the people, but even selling his own possessions and borrowing funds to care for the many hungry, homeless, and dying souls. Dismissing concerns over infection, he made visitations across the diocese and personally ministered to the sick. What can we do today to honor his memory and serve those in need? MEMORIAL OF CHARLES BORROMEO, BISHOP
Today's readings: Philippians 3:17—4:1; Luke 16:1-8 (489).
“Prepare a full account of your stewardship.”
Saturday 5th November
Loosen that grip
Imagine going through an entire day having left your wallet or purse at home, carrying no money of any kind (cash, credit card, or otherwise). Now imagine going through your entire life that way! More than likely, that’s how Jesus lived. He had a lot to say about money, especially our relationship to it, but we never read of Jesus carrying any himself. When he’s challenged about paying taxes, he asks to be shown a coin in order to respond, so he likely wasn’t carrying any of his own. While Jesus did not command us to live without money, he cautioned us to use it ethically and to be careful how tightly we hold it in our hands—and our hearts.
Today's readings: Philippians 4:10-19; Luke 16:9-15 (490).
“If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth?”
