Daily Readings - Mon Sep 17 2018
1 Corinthians
17Now I caution you, without praising, about this: that you assemble together, and not for better, but for worse18First of all, indeed, I hear that when you assemble together in the church, there are schisms among you. And I believe this, in part19For there must also be heresies, so that those who have been tested may be made manifest among you20And so, when you assemble together as one, it is no longer in order to eat the Lord’s supper21For each one first takes his own supper to eat. And as a result, one person is hungry, while another is inebriated22Do you not have houses, in which to eat and drink? Or do you have such contempt for the Church of God that you would confound those who do not have such contempt? What should I say to you? Should I praise you? I am not praising you in this23For I have received from the Lord what I have also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus, on the same night that he was handed over, took bread24and giving thanks, he broke it, and said: "Take and eat. This is my body, which shall be given up for you. Do this in remembrance of me.25Similarly also, the cup, after he had eaten supper, saying: "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord, until he returns33And so, my brothers, when you assemble together to eat, be attentive to one another
Luke
1And when he had completed all his words in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum2Now the servant of a certain centurion was dying, due to an illness. And he was very dear to him3And when he had heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, petitioning him, so that he would come and heal his servant4And when they had come to Jesus, they petitioned him anxiously, saying to him: "He is worthy that you should provide this to him5For he loves our nation, and he has built a synagogue for us.6Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying: "Lord, do not trouble yourself. For I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof7Because of this, I also did not consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant shall be healed8For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.9And upon hearing this, Jesus was amazed. And turning to the multitude following him, he said, "Amen I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.10And those who had been sent, upon returning to the house, found that the servant, who had been sick, was now healthy
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful lessons about faith, humility, and unity. The first reading from 1 Corinthians challenges us to reflect on how we approach the Eucharist and our life together as a community. Paul rebukes the Corinthians for their divisions and selfishness during the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, reminding them that the Eucharist is not just a meal but a sacred act of unity and remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice. The second reading from Luke’s Gospel presents the story of the centurion, a man of great faith and humility, who seeks healing for his servant. Despite his position of authority, the centurion recognizes his unworthiness and trusts in Jesus’ power to heal from afar. Jesus, moved by the centurion’s faith, praises him as an example of what it means to trust in God’s providence.
The context of these readings reveals deeper truths about our relationship with God and with one another. In Corinth, the early Christian community was divided by social and economic disparities, which carried over into their celebration of the Eucharist. Paul calls them back to the true meaning of the sacrament, emphasizing that it is not just an individual act but a communal expression of unity and gratitude. In the Gospel, the centurion’s humility stands in stark contrast to the divisions in Corinth. Though he holds power, he does not let it cloud his recognition of his dependence on God. His faith is not about what he can do for himself but about trusting in God’s mercy and love.
These readings remind us that our faith must be lived out in humility and unity. Like the centurion, we are called to recognize our limitations and trust in God’s power to transform our lives. At the same time, we must guard against division and selfishness, as seen in Corinth, and instead strive to build up the Body of Christ through our actions and attitudes. In our daily lives, this means approaching the Eucharist with reverence and gratitude, caring for one another’s needs, and trusting in God’s plan even when we cannot see the full picture. Let us ask for the grace to live with the humility of the centurion and the unity that Christ desires for his Church.