FIRST READING
“Remember your creator in the days of your youth before the dust returns to the earth and the spirit returns to God.”
A reading from the Book of Ecclesiastes (Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:8)
Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways ref your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgement. Remove vexation from your mind, and put away pain from your body; for youth and the dawn of life are vanity. Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when you will say, “I have no pleasure in them”; before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars are darkened and the clouds return after the rain; in the day when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men are bent, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look through the windows are dimmed, and the doors on the street are shut; when the sound of the grinding is low, and one rises up at the voice of a bird, and all the daughters of song are brought low; they are afraid also of what is high, and terrors are in the way; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along and desire fails; because man goes to his eternal home, and the mourners go about the streets; before the silver cord is snapped, or the golden bowl is broken, or the pitcher is broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern, and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher; all is vanity.
The word of the Lord.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 90:3-4.5-6.12-13. 14 and 17 (R. 1)
R/. O Lord, you have been our refuge, from generation to generation.
You turn man back to dust,
and say, “Return, O children of men.”
To your eyes a thousand years
are like yesterday, come and gone,
or like a watch in the night. R/.
You sweep them away like a dream,
like grass which is fresh in the morning.
In the morning it sprouts and is fresh;
by evening it withers and fades. R/.
R/. O Lord, you have been our refuge, from generation to generation.
Then teach us to number our days,
that we may gain wisdom of heart.
Turn back, O Lord! How long?
Show pity to your servants. R/.
At dawn, fil1 us with your merciful love;
we shall exult and rejoice all our days.
Let the favour of the Lord our God be upon us;
give success to the work of our hands.
O give success to the work of our hands. R/.
ALLELUIA 2 Timothy 1:10
Alleluia. Our Saviour Jesus Christ abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel. Alleluia.
GOSPEL
“The Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men. They were afraid to ask him about this saying.”
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke (Luke 9:43b-45)
At that time: While all were marveling at everything Jesus did, he said to his disciples, “Let these words sink into your ears; for the Son of man is to be delivered into the hands of men.” But they did not understand this saying, and it was concealed from them, that they should not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask him about this saying.
The Gospel of the Lord.
Today’s Reflection
In the gospel, Jesus challenges the outlook of his disciples about the Messiah. He repeatedly predicts his death so when it does happen, their faith would not fail them. He is preparing them for what is going to come, so it would not break them up. He wants them to understand that the cross is the choice he made and not something foisted on him. It is the way to salvation and a path he must take. But the disciples fail to understand as so many Christians today still do – they find it hard to reconcile with a crucified Christ and his cross. Today, the Lord still challenges our thought and outlook; we cannot separate Christ from the cross.