Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son - Daily Bible Readings October 9,2014

1ST READING   The uncomplimentary nature of Paul’s language here indicates the depth of his feeling about this matter. He is furious with the stupidity of the Galatians who are going back to the understanding of salvation as something they can earn through their own efforts. Objectively speaking he is totally correct; however, perhaps he might be better off expressing his displeasure in less stark terms as he has done. Maybe he has tried this and it did not work, and so he has taken his language to the next level.   Galatians 3:1-5 1 O stupid Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2 I want to learn only this from you: did you receive the Spirit from works of the law, or from faith in what you heard? 3 Are you so stupid? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? 4 Did you experience so many things in vain? — if indeed it was in vain. 5 Does, then, the one who supplies the Spirit to you and works mighty deeds among you do so from works of the law or from faith in what you heard?   P S A L M   Luke 1:69-70, 71-72, 73-75 R: Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; he has come to his people. 69 He has raised up for us a mighty savior, born of the house of his servant David. (R) 70 Through his holy prophets he promised of old: 71 that he would save us from our enemies, from the hands of all who hate us. (R) 72 He promised to show mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant. (R)73 This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham: 74 to set us free from the hands of our enemies, free to worship him without fear, 75 holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life. (R)   GOSPEL   Jesus encourages us to persevere in what we know is right, and hopefully, we will receive what we want in the end. This is one of the constant challenges of a life of faith — persevering in what we know to be true and right. There is no guarantee, because of the nature and prevalence of sin, that others are going to respond in a righteous or holy manner, but this is never an excuse for doing wrong.   GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son.   Luke 11:5-13 5 Jesus said to his disciples: “Suppose one of you has a friend to whom he goes at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves of bread, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived at my house from a journey and I have nothing to offer him,’ 7 and he says in reply from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door has already been locked and my children and I are already in bed. I cannot get up to give you anything.’ 8 I tell you, if he does not get up to give him the loaves because of their friendship, he will get up to give him whatever he needs because of his persistence. 9 And I tell you, ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 11 What father among you would hand his son a snake when he asks for a fish? 12 Or hand him a scorpion when he asks for an egg? 13 If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”   think:  Let us persevere in doing what we know is right.   T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST Thank You Lord for: __________________   ____________________________________   God’s special verse/thought for me today_ _____________________________________   READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Wisdom 5-8