Daily Reading and Questions for Reflection November 18, 2024

Daily Reading for Monday, November 18th, 2024

Reading 1, Revelation 1:1-4; 2:1-5

1                   A revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him so that he could tell his servants what is now to take place very soon; he sent his angel to make it known to his servant John,

2                   and John has borne witness to the Word of God and to the witness of Jesus Christ, everything that he saw.

3                   Blessed is anyone who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed those who hear them, if they treasure the content, because the Time is near.

4                   John, to the seven churches of Asia: grace and peace to you from him who is, who was, and who is to come, from the seven spirits who are before his throne,

1  'Write to the angel of the church in Ephesus and say, "Here is the message of the one who holds the seven stars in his right hand and who lives among the seven golden lamp-stands:

2  I know your activities, your hard work and your perseverance. I know you cannot stand wicked people, and how you put to the test those who were self-styled apostles, and found them false.

3  I know too that you have perseverance, and have suffered for my name without growing tired.

4  Nevertheless, I have this complaint to make: you have less love now than formerly.

5  Think where you were before you fell; repent, and behave as you did at first, or else, if you will not repent, I shall come to you and take your lamp-stand from its place.

Responsorial Psalm, Psalms 1:1-2, 3, 4, 6

1  How blessed is anyone who rejects the advice of the wicked and does not take a stand in the path that sinners tread, nor a seat in company with cynics,

2  but who delights in the law of Yahweh and murmurs his law day and night.

3  Such a one is like a tree planted near streams; it bears fruit in season and its leaves never wither, and every project succeeds.

4  How different the wicked, how different! Just like chaff blown around by the wind

5  the wicked will not stand firm at the Judgement nor sinners in the gathering of the upright.

6  For Yahweh watches over the path of the upright, but the path of the wicked is doomed.

Gospel, Luke 18:35-43

35  Now it happened that as he drew near to Jericho there was a blind man sitting at the side of the road begging.

36  When he heard the crowd going past he asked what it was all about,

37  and they told him that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by.

38  So he called out, 'Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.'

39  The people in front scolded him and told him to keep quiet, but he only shouted all the louder, 'Son of David, have pity on me.'

40  Jesus stopped and ordered them to bring the man to him, and when he came up, asked him,

41  'What do you want me to do for you?' 'Sir,' he replied, 'let me see again.'

42  Jesus said to him, 'Receive your sight. Your faith has saved you.'

43  And instantly his sight returned and he followed him praising God, and all the people who saw it gave praise to God.

Questions for Reflection for November 18, 2024

1.      The beloved disciple John was the only one of the four Evangelists who wrote the Gospels to not die as a Martyr. He lived to old age and was imprisoned for his faith in Jesus on the Island of Patmos. There he received this prophetic vision which he shares in the last Book of the New Testament, the Book of Revelation, or the Apocalypse. In this passage, taken from the very beginning, the Lord speaks through him exposing "self-styled apostles and false teachers in the early Churches. 

Speaking to the seven churches of Asia Minor, he warns that calling out those false teachers is not enough. The members of the Body of Christ must themselves grow in love and fidelity to the faith. That admonition applies to all of us as well. How are we growing in love? Are we staying faithful to the true teachings of the Catholic Church as errors emerge in our own days?

2.      The Psalmist David extols in those who delight in the Law of the Lord and study it constantly. He says that they will be strong and not blown about in times of trial, like a strong tree. 

Do we delight in the Law of the Lord? Do we study the Bible and the Catechism of the Catholic Church and speak of them daily? If we do immerse ourselves in the Lord and His teaching, Yahweh will watch over us as well. Will we choose to walk in this way - today?

3.      In this passage from Luke's Gospel, we hear of the healing of the blind man. His persevering pursuit of Jesus, in spite of the scolding of the crowd, reveals his active faith. Jesus not only responds, but he tells the blind man that his faith has saved him. 

Do we have active persevering faith? Are we crying out to the Lord daily, in spite of opposition from the world, the flesh and the devil, the three-fold enemies of the Christian life? Sin blinds us spiritually. Do we regularly confess and ask the Lord to heal us of its wounds and effects and open the eyes of our hearts?