Today's Mass Readings - Sunday, October 6, 2013 with Reflection

1^ST READING - Habakkuk 1:2-3; 2:2-4

2 How long, O Lord? I cry for help but you do not listen! I cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not intervene. 3 Why do you let me see ruin; why must I look at misery? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and clamorous discord. 2: 2 Then the Lord answered me and said: Write down the vision clearly upon the tablets, so that one can read it readily. 3 For the vision still has its time, presses on to fulfillment, and will not disappoint; if it delays, wait for it, it will surely come, it will not be late. 4 The rash man has no integrity; but the just one, because of his faith, shall live.

P S A L M - Psalm 95:1-2, 6-7, 8-9

R: If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts.

1 Come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord; let us acclaim the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us joyfully sing psalms to him. (R) 6 Come, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the Lord who made us. 7 For he is our God, and we are the people he shepherds, the flock he guides.(R) Oh, that today you would hear his voice: 8 “Harden not your hearts as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the desert, 9where your fathers tempted me; they tested me though they had seen my works.” (R)

2^ND READING - 2 Timothy 1:6-8, 13-14

6 Beloved: I remind you to stir into flame the gift of God that youhave through the imposition of my hands. 7 For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. 8 So do not be ashamed of your testimony to our Lord, nor of me, a prisoner for his sake; but bear your share of hardship for the gospel with the strength that comes from God. 13Take as your norm the sound words that you and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 Guard this rich trust with the help of the Holy Spirit that dwells within us.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

The word of the Lord remains for ever. This is the word that has been proclaimed to you.

Luke 17:5-10

5 The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” 6 The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. 7 Who among you would say to your servant who has just come in from plowing or tending sheep in the field, ‘Come here immediately and take your place at table’? 8Would he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for me to eat. Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink. You may eat and drink when I am finished’? 9 Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded? 10 So should it bewith you. When you have done all you have been commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do.’”

SABBATH

WORDS HAVE POWER In today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “If you had faith the size of mustard seed, you could say to this sycamore, ‘Be uprooted and transplanted into the sea,’ and it would obey you” (Luke 17:6). Notice that Jesus commanded His listeners to speak, to command, to utter a word of instruction. This is not the only verse in the Bible that speaks about Jesus teaching so. In Mark 11:23, He also said, “Whoever will say to this mountain be removed and does not doubt in his heart, he will have what he says.” Jesus seems to be telling us that when we pray, it is not enough to speak to God about our problems, our difficulties, or the mountains that we face. Jesus is giving us authority to speak to our problems.        I remember reading long ago about how some natives in Africa conduct a shouting ritual to fell down a tree. The natives would gather around the tree for days and in unison shout curses to the tree. After a period of time, the tree was said to begin to wither down, thus making it easier for them to fell the tree. Legend or not, it is based on a sound principle: Words have power. Try this even if you are alone. Say to yourself, “I am beautiful!” See how you’re smiling already (even if it may not necessarily be true)?        Rumor aside, words do not only communicate ideas. Words also have the power to achieve what it communicates. When words are declared in faith, they can achieve miracles, both in the seen and the unseen. We are made children of God by the words of baptism. We are forgiven of our sins by the words of absolution. Jesus is made truly present in the bread and wine at Mass by the words of consecration.        It is no surprise that Jesus teaches us about the power of the word. He is the Word through whom the universe was made. God created by the power of His word, “Let there be light.” When we utter words declared in faith, we claim power from the God who uttered the world into existence. This is a message of encouragement. We are told not only to speak about our obstacles. We are given power to speak to our obstacles! Fr. Joel O. Jason REFLECTION QUESTIONS: How do you use the anointing of your words? Do your words build up or destroy? God our Father, You brought the world into being by Your Word. Recreate us by the same Word. Anoint my words that they may share in Your power to build, empower and create. Amen. St. Bruno, priest, pray for us. Do you want to receive this in your email. To get Bo Sanchez to send it to you personally, register and log-on to http://kerygmafamily.com. Lots of surprises await.