Daily Bible Reading - November 17, 2020

 1st READING

We need to deepen our faith every day. If we are not growing in our relationship with Jesus, we are in danger of backsliding into bad habits and sin. It is difficult to extract ourselves from the mire of sin a second time. While God’s grace enables us to do so, we must still surrender to its transforming power. Let us continue to grow in faith.

Revelation 3:1-6, 14-22

¹ I, John, heard the Lord saying to me: “To the angel of the Church in Sardis, write this: “‘The one who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars says this: “I know your works, that you have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. ² Be watchful and strengthen what is left, which is going to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. ³ Remember then how you accepted and heard; keep it, and repent. If you are not watchful, I will come like a thief, and  you will never know at what hour I will come upon you. ⁴ However, you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their garments; they will walk with me dressed in white, because they are worthy. ⁵ “‘“The victor will thus be dressed in white, and I will never erase his name from the book of life but will acknowledge his name in the presence of my Father and of his angels. ⁶ “‘“Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’ ¹⁴ “To the angel of the Church in Laodicea, write this: “‘The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the source of God’s creation, says this: ¹⁵ “I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’ and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. ¹⁸ I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see. ¹⁹ Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent. ²⁰ “‘“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me. ²¹ I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne. ²² “‘“Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”’”.

PSALM

Psalm 15:2-3, 3-4, 5

R: I will seat the victor beside me on my throne.

² He who walks blamelessly and does justice; who thinks the truth in his heart ³ and slanders not with his tongue. (R) Who harms not his fellow man, nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor; ⁴ by whom the reprobate is despised, while he honors those who fear the Lord. (R) ⁵ Who lends not his money at usury and accepts no bribe against the innocent. He who does these things shall never be disturbed. (R)

GOSPEL

God has the power to transform even the most hardened of sinners. For example, the Jews considered tax collectors as the worst people in society. They use their position to their own advantage and extort money from people. To make matters worse, they were employed by the Roman oppressors. If Jesus can convert Zacchaeus, the tax collector, then there is hope for us.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

God loved us, and sent his Son as expiation for our sins.

Luke 19:1-10

1 At that time Jesus came to Jericho and intended to pass through the town. ² Now a man there named Zacchaeus, who was a chief tax collector and also a wealthy man, ³ was seeking to see who Jesus was; but he could not see him because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. ⁴ So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore tree in order to see Jesus, who was about to pass that way. ⁵ When he reached the place, Jesus looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” ⁶ And he came down quickly and received him with joy. ⁷ When they all saw this, they began to grumble, saying, “He has gone to stay at the house of a sinner.” ⁸ But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Behold, half of my possessions, Lord, I shall give to the poor, and if I have extorted anything from anyone I shall repay it four times over.” ⁹ And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house because this man too is a descendant of Abraham. ¹⁰ For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save what was lost.” 

 Reflect: “Long before Zacchaeus couldn’t see Jesus, the tree was already planted for his need.” – Unknown

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T O D A Y’S BLESSING LIST 

thank You, Lord, for: 

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