Readings: Saturday, October 24, 2020

First Reading: Eph 4:7–16

Brothers and sisters:
Grace was given to each of us 
          according to the measure of Christ's gift. 
Therefore, it says: 
  
                    He ascended on high and took prisoners captive; 
                              he gave gifts to men. 
  
What does "he ascended" mean except that he also descended 
          into the lower regions of the earth? 
The one who descended is also the one who ascended 
          far above all the heavens, 
          that he might fill all things. 
  
And he gave some as Apostles, others as prophets, 
          others as evangelists, others as pastors and teachers, 
          to equip the holy ones for the work of ministry, 
          for building up the Body of Christ, 
          until we all attain to the unity of faith 
          and knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood 
          to the extent of the full stature of Christ, 
          so that we may no longer be infants, 
          tossed by waves and swept along by every wind of teaching 
          arising from human trickery, 
          from their cunning in the interests of deceitful scheming. 
Rather, living the truth in love, 
          we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ, 
          from whom the whole Body, 
          joined and held together by every supporting ligament, 
          with the proper functioning of each part, 
          brings about the Body's growth and builds itself up in love.

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5

R./ Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

I rejoiced because they said to me, 
          "We will go up to the house of the Lord." 
And now we have set foot 
          within your gates, O Jerusalem. 
R./ Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Jerusalem, built as a city 
          with compact unity. 
To it the tribes go up, 
          the tribes of the Lord. 
R./ Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

According to the decree for Israel, 
          to give thanks to the name of the Lord. 
In it are set up judgment seats, 
          seats for the house of David. 
R./ Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.

Gospel Reading: Lk 13:1-9

One day some persons told Jesus what had occurred in the Temple: Pilate had Galileans killed and their blood mingled with the blood of their sacrifices. Jesus replied, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this? I tell you: no. But unless you change your ways, you will all perish as they did.

"And those eighteen persons in Siloah who were crushed when the tower fell, do you think they were more guilty than all the others in Jerusalem? I tell you: no. But unless you change your ways, you will all perish as they did."

And Jesus continued with this story, "A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard and he came looking for fruit on it, but found none. Then he said to the gardener: 'Look here, for three years now I have been looking for figs on this tree and I have found none. Cut it down, why should it use up the ground?' The gardener replied: 'Leave it one more year, so that I may dig around it and add some fertilizer; and perhaps it will bear fruit from now on. But if it doesn't, you can cut it down."