Tuesday of the Thirty-first week in Ordinary Time

Today the Church celebrates : St. Winifred,  St. Martin de Porres,  St. Hubert, Bishop (657-727)

See commentary below or click here
Baldwin of Ford : “Blessed is the one who will dine in the kingdom of God.”

Letter to the Romans 12:5-16.

so we, though many, are one body in Christ and individually parts of one another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them: if prophecy, in proportion to the faith; if ministry, in ministering; if one is a teacher, in teaching; if one exhorts, in exhortation; if one contributes, in generosity; if one is over others, with diligence; if one does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness. Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor. Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the holy ones, exercise hospitality. Bless those who persecute (you), bless and do not curse them. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. Have the same regard for one another; do not be haughty but associate with the lowly; do not be wise in your own estimation.

Psalms 131:1.2.3.

A song of ascents. Of David. LORD, my heart is not proud; nor are my eyes haughty. I do not busy myself with great matters, with things too sublime for me.
Rather, I have stilled my soul, hushed it like a weaned child. Like a weaned child on its mother’s lap, so is my soul within me.
Israel, hope in the LORD, now and forever.

Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 14:15-24.

One of his fellow guests on hearing this said to him, “Blessed is the one who will dine in the kingdom of God.” He replied to him, “A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many. When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, ‘Come, everything is now ready.’ But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, ‘I have purchased a field and must go to examine it; I ask you, consider me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen and am on my way to evaluate them; I ask you, consider me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have just married a woman, and therefore I cannot come.’ The servant went and reported this to his master. Then the master of the house in a rage commanded his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ The servant reported, ‘Sir, your orders have been carried out and still there is room.’ The master then ordered the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled. For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.'”

Copyright © Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, USCCB

Commentary of the day :

Baldwin of Ford (?-c.1190), Cistercian abbot
The Sacrament of the altar, II, 3 ; PL 204, 691

“Blessed is the one who will dine in the kingdom of God.”

The psalmist says: «Bread fortifies the heart of man and wine rejoices his heart» (Ps 104[103],15). For those who believe in him Christ is food and drink, bread and wine. He is bread when he strengthens and establishes us according to Peter’s words: «After you have suffered a little, the God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory in Christ will restore, strengthen and establish you» (1Pt 5,10). He is drink and wine when he makes us glad according to the words of the Psalmist: «Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, I lift up my soul» (Ps 86[85],4).

Everything in us that is strong, steadfast, firm, happy and joyful to carry out God’s commands, bear with misfortune, act obediently, stand up for justice: all these things come from this bread’s strength, this wine’s gladness. Happy are they whose deeds are strong and joyful! And since no one can do it of themselves: happy are they who have an eager desire to cleave to what is just and right and to be strengthened in everything and rejoice through him who said: «Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness» (Mt 5,6). If Christ is food and drink even now for the strength and joy of the righteous, how much more so will he be in the life to come when he will give to the righteous without measure?