TWENTY-NINTH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Saturday

Year I

Readings

First Reading
Rom 8:1–11

Responsorial Psalm
Ps 24:1b–2, 3–4ab, 5–6

Gospel
Lk 13:1–9

Meditation on Today’s Readings

Taken from the Vatican II Sunday and Weekday Missal
Written by Celia Sirois

Paul exhorts the Ephesians that they may no longer be children. Today’s Gospel is surely not for children. It begins with two reports only found in Luke of sudden and violent death, which Jesus turns into dire warnings for his listeners. “If you do not repent, you will all perish as they did!” Since we cannot secure our lives, death is always near for all of us, so we must not postpone repentance.

Although Luke’s version of the parable of the fig tree suggests that a little more time has been given, without repentance the end remains the same. If the fig tree does not bear fruit, it will surely be cut down.

For Paul, as for Luke, repentance is not simply turning away from sin, but turning toward Jesus in faith. He tells the Romans, “Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,” that is, for those in whom the Spirit of God dwells. The Spirit gives to each and every one of us gifts that enable us to do the truth in love and so grow, as one body, to the full maturity of Christ our head.

The copyright for the Sunday Missal Introductions is:
Copyright (c) 2001, Daughters of St. Paul
The copyright for the Weekday Missal Introduction is:
Copyright (c) 2002, Daughters of St. Paul