Saturday of the Twenty-third Week in Ordinary Time

Reading 1 1 COR 10:14-22
My beloved ones, avoid idolatry.
I am speaking as to sensible people;
judge for yourselves what I am saying.
The cup of blessing that we bless,
is it not a participation in the Blood of Christ?
The bread that we break,
is it not a participation in the Body of Christ?
Because the loaf of bread is one,
we, though many, are one Body,
for we all partake of the one loaf.
Look at Israel according to the flesh;
are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?
So what am I saying?
That meat sacrificed to idols is anything?
Or that an idol is anything?
No, I mean that what they sacrifice,
they sacrifice to demons, not to God,
and I do not want you to become participants with demons.
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and also the cup of demons.
You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons.
Or are we provoking the Lord to jealous anger?
Are we stronger than him?

Gospel LK 6:43-49
Jesus said to his disciples:
“A good tree does not bear rotten fruit,
nor does a rotten tree bear good fruit.
For every tree is known by its own fruit.
For people do not pick figs from thornbushes,
nor do they gather grapes from brambles.
A good person out of the store of goodness in his heart produces good,
but an evil person out of a store of evil produces evil;
for from the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks.
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ but not do what I command?
I will show you what someone is like who comes to me,
listens to my words, and acts on them.
That one is like a man building a house,
who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock;
when the flood came, the river burst against that house
but could not shake it because it had been well built.
But the one who listens and does not act
is like a person who built a house on the ground
without a foundation.
When the river burst against it,
it collapsed at once and was completely destroyed.”

Lectionary for Mass for Use in the Dioceses of the United States, second typical edition, Copyright © 2001, 1998, 1997, 1986, 1970 Confraternity of Christian Doctrine; Psalm refrain © 1968, 1981, 1997, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved. 
Take the Gospel to prayer:

Today's question; How firm is your foundation?

In all the years that I have been in ministry, there is one statement that I keep hearing and, every time I hear it, I am amazed; "I don't go to confession because I never sin." Most times, I struggle with keeping a straight face and blurting out "Really, go ask your spouse." The conversations usually lead to some comment about generally being a "good person" and that that's all that matters.

The texts all week have been getting us to narrow our focus to cleaning up our own acts. Today's question hits directly: Am I paying lip service to being a Catholic or do I really strive to live as a Catholic?

This chart is from a 2008 CARA report. I am not offering it as judgement but simply to support the question of the day. Some of us stand on more solid ground than others.

Let's not feel guilty about our imperfections, but let us pray this day to develop a more solid foundation every day. With God's help we can repair the cracks so that we don't get washed away by the river.