Bible Diary

Daily Reading

Friday of the Twenty-fourth Week in Ordinary Time

LECTIONARY
447

FIRST READING

1 TM 6:2C-12

Beloved:
Teach and urge these things.
Whoever teaches something different
and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ
and the religious teaching
is conceited, understanding nothing,
and has a morbid disposition for arguments and verbal disputes.
From these come envy, rivalry, insults, evil suspicions,
and mutual friction among people with corrupted minds,
who are deprived of the truth,
supposing religion to be a means of gain.
Indeed, religion with contentment is a great gain.
For we brought nothing into the world,
just as we shall not be able to take anything out of it.
If we have food and clothing, we shall be content with that.
Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation and into a trap
and into many foolish and harmful desires,
which plunge them into ruin and destruction.
For the love of money is the root of all evils,
and some people in their desire for it have strayed from the faith
and have pierced themselves with many pains.

But you, man of God, avoid all this.
Instead, pursue righteousness, devotion,
faith, love, patience, and gentleness.
Compete well for the faith.
Lay hold of eternal life,
to which you were called when you made the noble confession
in the presence of many witnesses.

PSALM

PS 49:6-7, 8-10, 17-18, 19-20

Response: Blessed the poor in spirit; the Kingdom of heaven is theirs!

Why should I fear in evil days
when my wicked ensnarers ring me round?
They trust in their wealth;
the abundance of their riches is their boast.

Yet in no way can a man redeem himself,
or pay his own ransom to God;
Too high is the price to redeem one's life; he would never have enough
to remain alive always and not see destruction.

Fear not when a man grows rich,
when the wealth of his house becomes great,
For when he dies, he shall take none of it;
his wealth shall not follow him down.

Though in his lifetime he counted himself blessed,
"They will praise you for doing well for yourself,"
He shall join the circle of his forebears
who shall never more see light.

GOSPEL

LK 8:1-3

Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another,
preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God.
Accompanying him were the Twelve
and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities,
Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,
Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza,
Susanna, and many others
who provided for them out of their resources.

Daily Reflection

Today’s world is characterized by Post-modernist thinking which emphasizes relativity, thereby stressing that there is nothing absolute. In contrast, Paul exhorts Timothy to teach the Absoluteness of the faith and counter any contrary teaching with the example of his life. Timothy “must aim to be saintly and religious”. His life is to be a witness to his faith.

The Gospel portrays certain women who ‘provided for’ Jesus and the twelve from ‘out of their resources’ as part of the group that followed Jesus. Jesus’ teachings are evident in his manner of life. Not only is he open to having women followers, in a day when women were looked down upon, but the women themselves experience a certain freedom in following Jesus.

Does your faith correspond with the life you live?

Remember, you are possibly the only 'gospel' that people will read!