Daily Readings - Mon Sep 10 2018
1 Corinthians
1Above all else, it is being said that there is fornication among you, even fornication of a such kind that is not among the Gentiles, so that someone would have the wife of his father2And yet you are inflated, and you have not instead been grieved, so that he who has done this thing would be taken away from your midst3Certainly, though absent in body, I am present in spirit. Thus, I have already judged, as if I were present, him who has done this4In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, you have been gathered together with my spirit, in the power of our Lord Jesus5to hand over such a one as this to Satan, for the destruction of the flesh, so that the spirit may be saved in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ6It is not good for you to glory. Do you not know that a little leaven corrupts the entire mass7Purge the old leaven, so that you may become the new bread, for you are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover, has now been immolated8And so, let us feast, not with the old leaven, not with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth
Luke
6And it happened that, on another Sabbath, he entered into the synagogue, and he taught. And there was a man there, and his right hand was withered7And the scribes and Pharisees observed whether he would heal on the Sabbath, so that they might thereby find an accusation against him8Yet truly, he knew their thoughts, and so he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Rise up and stand in the middle." And rising up, he stood still9Then Jesus said to them: "I ask you if it is lawful on the Sabbaths to do good, or to do evil? To give health to a life, or to destroy it?10And looking around at everyone, he said to the man, "Extend your hand." And he extended it. And his hand was restored11Then they were filled with madness, and they discussed with one another, what, in particular, they might do about Jesus
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the balance between justice and mercy, and how we, as followers of Christ, are called to live with integrity and compassion. In the first reading from 1 Corinthians, Paul addresses a serious moral issue in the Corinthian community—a case of grave immorality that has gone unchecked. He calls the community to act decisively, not out of malice or self-righteousness, but to preserve the holiness and purity of the Body of Christ. Paul reminds us that sin can have a corrosive effect on the entire community, much like leaven spreads through dough. He urges them to remove the "old leaven" of malice and wickedness and to live as the "new bread" of sincerity and truth, for Christ has already been sacrificed as our Passover.
In the Gospel, Luke presents a scene where Jesus confronts the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. On the Sabbath, Jesus heals a man with a withered hand, challenging the rigid legalism of those who would rather debate the law than show compassion. Jesus’ question—“Is it lawful to do good or evil on the Sabbath?”—exposes the hardness of their hearts. While the Pharisees are consumed by anger and plotting against him, Jesus simply acts with love and restores the man’s hand. This act of healing is not just a miracle; it is a revelation of God’s true nature: merciful, compassionate, and always seeking the good of his children.
Both readings remind us that our faith is not just about rules or rituals but about living in a way that reflects God’s love and justice. In our daily lives, we are called to examine our own hearts and actions. Are we allowing sin or complacency to take root in our lives or in our communities? Are we more focused on judgment than on mercy, more on appearances than on true love? Let us strive to be people of integrity and compassion, purging the "old leaven" of selfishness and hypocrisy, and living instead as the "unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." May we, like Christ, always choose to do good, even when it challenges the status quo, and may we bring healing and hope to a world in need.