Tuesday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
September 28, 2021
Tuesday of the Twenty-sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 456
Reading I
Thus says the LORD of hosts:
There shall yet come peoples,
the inhabitants of many cities;
and the inhabitants of one city shall approach those of another,
and say, “Come! let us go to implore the favor of the LORD”;
and, “I too will go to seek the LORD.”
Many peoples and strong nations shall come
to seek the Lord of hosts in Jerusalem
and to implore the favor of the LORD.
Thus says the LORD of hosts:
In those days ten men of every nationality,
speaking different tongues, shall take hold,
yes, take hold of every Jew by the edge of his garment and say,
“Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”
Responsorial Psalm
- (Zec 8:23) God is with us.
His foundation upon the holy mountains
the LORD loves:
The gates of Zion,
more than any dwelling of Jacob.
Glorious things are said of you,
O city of God!
R. God is with us.
I tell of Egypt and Babylon
among those that know the LORD;
Of Philistia, Tyre, Ethiopia:
“This man was born there.”
And of Zion they shall say:
“One and all were born in her;
And he who has established her
is the Most High LORD.”
R. God is with us.
They shall note, when the peoples are enrolled:
“This man was born there.”
And all shall sing, in their festive dance:
“My home is within you.”
R. God is with us.
Alleluia
- Alleluia, alleluia.
The Son of Man came to serve
and to give his life as a ransom for many.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
When the days for Jesus to be taken up were fulfilled,
he resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem,
and he sent messengers ahead of him.
On the way they entered a Samaritan village
to prepare for his reception there,
but they would not welcome him
because the destination of his journey was Jerusalem.
When the disciples James and John saw this they asked,
“Lord, do you want us to call down fire from heaven
to consume them?”
Jesus turned and rebuked them,
and they journeyed to another village.
Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Wenceslaus, martyr
Readings for the Optional Memorial of Saint Lawrence Ruiz and companions, martyrs
Reflection: THE ROLE OF THE FREE WILL TO ACCEPT JESUS
James and John were truly sons of thunder: boanerges - trigger happiness with the power they had from Jesus. Left to themselves perhaps quite a few towns around Jerusalem would have been burned down like Sodom and Gomorrah. But Jesus, the Guru, knows what stuff James and John are made of. He knows how they can go berserk. And he does not lose any occasion to teach them that his way is not one of threat or force but that it is one of freedom. The people should, of their own free will, embrace the way of Jesus. He does not use a stick or goad to guide people in the right way. He does not use a bolt of lightning or thunder to frighten them into the kingdom. They must appreciate the way and choose to come of their own accord.