Bible Diary

Daily Reading

St Leo the Great

LECTIONARY
492

FIRST READING

Tit 2:1-8,11-14

But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. Older men are to be sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness. Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled. Likewise, urge the younger men to be self-controlled. Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us. For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

PSALM

37:3-4, 18 and 23, 27 and 29

Response: The salvation of the just comes from the Lord.

Trust in the LORD and do good,
that you may dwell in the land and be fed in security.
Take delight in the LORD,
and he will grant you your heart’s requests.

The LORD watches over the lives of the wholehearted;
their inheritance lasts forever.
By the LORD are the steps of a man made firm,
and he approves his way.

Turn from evil and do good,
that you may abide forever;
The just shall possess the land
and dwell in it forever.

GOSPEL

Lk 17:7-10

“Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table?’ Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink?’ Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’”

Daily Reflection

There is so much we take for granted when expecting service from others: our domestic help, service providers, municipal workers, civil servants, shopkeepers. When it comes to our turn to serve, in whatever capacity, do we do so ungrudgingly, knowing that we are called to emulate Christ? Or do we look for recognition and recompense?

As St. Paul reminds us in the first reading, we must set an example by our own way of doing; we must live as responsible persons dedicated to what is good. When we serve others, we are merely doing the duty entrusted to us by God. At the same time, it is a duty to be discharged with sensitivity. For example, we receive God’s word in the Gospel and share this teaching with others, but such teaching is empty if it does not become a reality that we observe. When we preach love, we must practice it too.

And speaking of setting a dutiful example, how often do we offer thanks for what we have received from God and from others?