Thursday of the Twenty-seventh Week in Ordinary Time
October 12, 2023
Daily Reading from the USCCB: Malachi 3:13-20b
The oracles of Malachi were delivered after the Jewish community began to return from Babylon between the time of Haggai and the reforms of Ezra and Nehemiah. After a while religious fervor had begun to wane. Abuses in the liturgy arose, mixed marriages with pagan wives became common, priests abrogated their roles of teacher and leader.
Malachi spoke out against these sinful conditions. Today’s reading first addresses the sinners who find serving God useless. Then God turns to those who trust in his name and promises them his compassion. Finally God speaks of justice. The evil will experience fiery punishment. The good will experience healing.
The Church is like this much of the time: peopled with sinners, gifted with saints, always in need of healing.
