31ST MONDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 14:12-14) - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

“When you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind.” (Lk 14:13)

FIRST READING - Rom 11:29-36

"For God delivered all to disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all."

A reading from the Letter of St. Paul to the Romans

²⁹ For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.

^30 [a]Just as you once disobeyed God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, ³¹ so they have now disobeyed in order that, by virtue of the mercy shown to you, they too may [now] receive mercy. ³² For God delivered all to disobedience, that he might have mercy upon all.

^33 [b]Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How inscrutable are his judgments and how unsearchable his ways!

³⁴ “For who has known the mind of the Lord^[c] or who has been his counselor?”^35 [d]“Or who has given him anything that he may be repaid?”

³⁶ For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Lk 14:12-14

"Do not invite your friends, rather, invite the poor, the crippled."

✠From the Gospel according to Luke

¹² Then he said to the host who invited him, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. ¹³ Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; ¹⁴ blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

31ST MONDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - Gospel (Luke 14:12-14)

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

The Word of God in today’s Gospel tells of Jesus visiting the house of a Pharisee leader for a meal. Through this event, God desires to teach everyone that when serving others, we must serve with a heart full of love, generosity, and selflessness, giving without expecting anything in return.

God loves all people, He does not exclude any one. He always desires what is good for humanity and does not want people to fall into Satan’s traps. Therefore, God wants everyone to be vigilant at all times and in all places, do not let Satan deceive us with desires for wealth, power, and fame, for Satan himself once tempted Jesus with these three things.

God calls upon all people today to listen to and put His Word into practice: to love others as ourselves, to love with all our hearts, and to love by giving selflessly and unconditionally.

As Jesus taught the Pharisees and the Scribes in the past, and as well as for everyone today that when someone helps others, do not expect anything in return.

For when helping others unconditionally and without expecting anything in return, God will record it in His book of deeds and He will reward with a place in His Kingdom of Heaven when He calls that person out from the world. Thus, whenever someone shares with or helps others in any way, trust that God sees all things.

God makes known that He is very pleased and will reward those who know how to live with love and selflessness, those who know how to share with and help others without seeking personal gain, without any conditions, giving freely without calculation or expecting the person to repay your kindness.

 He also reminds us that if we desire others to serve us selflessly and without calculation, we too must first serve them in the same way.

Jesus’ teachings to the Pharisees and scribes in the past as well as to everyone today that whenever we invite someone to a banquet or helping someone with anything, we should invite and assist the poor and the disabled, those who have nothing to repay in return.

This is the noble way that God calls humanity to live and act upon following the example He has lived and the call He has invited us to do.

Thanks be to God. Amen.

19:00 Nov 3rd, 2025 Prayer of Divine Mercy - The Way to Heaven - YouTube