Mass readings for Wednesday, 5 November 2025 (31st Week in Ordinary Time, Year C)

 

🙏 Opening Prayer 

Heavenly Father, you call each one of us to follow your Son Jesus, to carry our cross and to love you above all. Grant us the grace to count the cost of discipleship, to surrender our attachments, and to love our neighbour as ourselves. Help us to live generously, to reflect your mercy, and to be a light in darkness. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.




📖 Readings

  1. First Reading: Romans 13:8-10

“Owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another; for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. The commandments, You shall not commit adultery; You shall not kill; You shall not steal; You shall not covet; and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this saying, namely, You shall love your neighbour as yourself. Love does no wrong to the neighbour; hence, love is the fulfilment of the law.” USCCB+2catholicgallery.org+2

  1. Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 112:1b-2, 4-5, 9

“Blessed the man who is gracious and lends to those in need … He dawns through the darkness, a light for the upright; he is gracious, and merciful and just … Lavishly he gives to the poor; his generosity shall endure for ever …” USCCB+1

  1. Alleluia: 1 Peter 4:14

“If you are insulted for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of God rests upon you.” USCCB+1

  1. Gospel: Luke 14:25-33

“Great crowds were travelling with him; and he turned and addressed them, ‘If any one comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. … So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.’” USCCB+1


 

🧠 Explanation & Reflection

First Reading (Romans 13:8-10)

  • The Apostle Paul underscores that the essential debt we have is love – “owe nothing to anyone, except to love one another.”

  • He reminds us of the Old Testament commandments (e.g., You shall not kill, you shall not steal, etc.) and then says that all are summed up in the one command: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself.”

  • Key point: genuine love fulfills the law. Not simply legal observance, but the heart of the law is love.

  • For catechumens: it sets the foundation that Christian life isn’t just about following rules but about an inner transformation and a free response of love.

Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 112)

  • This psalm praises the “man who fears the Lord” and delights in his commandments.

  • It describes him as a light shining in darkness, merciful and generous to the poor.

  • Link to the reading: the one who loves, gives, serves, is the one blessed.

  • Application: the Christian is to reflect light in dark places, be merciful, be just, lend to those in need— embody love.

Gospel (Luke 14:25-33)

  • Quite challenging: Jesus says if anyone comes to him without “hating” father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters—and even his own life—he cannot be his disciple. He also says whoever does not carry his cross and follow him cannot be his disciple.

  • Then he gives practical images: building a tower without calculating cost leads to shame; a king going to war without estimating resources faces defeat. In the same way, discipleship requires renouncing everything.

  • “Hate” here is a strong word, often understood in the context of “loving less” or putting Jesus first even above natural family ties when they conflict with discipleship.

  • Application: To follow Jesus we must prioritize him, accept sacrifice, be ready to give up attachments (including possessions) if necessary.

  • For the catechumen: It calls to serious decision—Baptism means taking up the cross, following Christ, and that involves cost and commitment.

🎯 Practical Applications

  • Reflect: What is the “debt of love” I owe my neighbour today? Is there someone I am neglecting or failing to love?

  • Am I willing to carry the cross of following Jesus in my daily life—even if it means going against the grain, making sacrifices, or being misunderstood?

  • Examine attachments: Are there possessions, comforts, relationships that hold me back from wholehearted discipleship? What might I need to surrender?

  • Let the psalm inspire generosity: In what ways can I be light for others—merciful, just, giving? Maybe a small act of kindness, giving time or resources.

  • For catechumens: Consider your journey into Church — this reading invites you not only to join but to commit. Your “yes” will involve transformation, not mere formality.

🙌 Closing Prayer 

Lord God, you strengthen us in your Body and Blood, that we may carry your cross and follow your Son to the fullness of life. May the love we receive in this Sacrament overflow into our lives: in how we treat our neighbours, how we give to those in need, and how we stand with you even when the cost is high. Grant us perseverance in discipleship. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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