Daily Readings - Thu Oct 25 2018
Ephesians
13Because of this, I ask you not to be weakened by my tribulations on your behalf; for this is your glory14By reason of this grace, I bend my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ15from whom all paternity in heaven and on earth takes its name16And I ask him to grant to you to be strengthened in virtue by his Spirit, in accord with the wealth of his glory, in the inner man17so that Christ may live in your hearts through a faith rooted in, and founded on, charity18So may you be able to embrace, with all the saints, what is the width and length and height and dept19of the charity of Christ, and even be able to know that which surpasses all knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God20Now to him who is able to do all things, more abundantly than we could ever ask or understand, by means of the virtue which is at work in us21to him be glory, in the Church and in Christ Jesus, throughout every generation, forever and ever. Amen
Luke
49I have come to cast a fire upon the earth. And what should I desire, except that it may be kindled50And I have a baptism, with which I am to be baptized. And how I am constrained, even until it may be accomplished51Do you think that I have come to give peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but division52For from this time on, there will be five in one house: divided as three against two, and as two against three53A father will be divided against a son, and a son against his father; a mother against a daughter and a daughter against a mother; a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful themes that challenge us to reflect deeply on our faith and our place in the world. The first reading from Ephesians is a prayer of St. Paul, who asks God to strengthen the believers with the power of the Holy Spirit. He prays that they may be rooted in faith and love, and that they may come to understand the boundless and incomprehensible love of Christ. This prayer is born out of Paul’s own sufferings and tribulations, which he endures for the sake of the Gospel. He sees his struggles as a source of glory because they contribute to the spread of God’s grace and the unity of the Church.
The Gospel reading from Luke presents a stark contrast to the harmony and unity emphasized in Ephesians. Jesus speaks of division and conflict, declaring that He has come not to bring peace but fire and separation. He warns that His message will divide families, setting members against one another. This is not because God delights in discord, but because the truth of the Gospel inevitably challenges the status quo and requires difficult choices. Jesus’ words remind us that following Him is not always easy; it may require us to stand apart from those who do not share our faith, even those closest to us.
These readings, though seemingly contradictory, are deeply connected. The unity and love that Paul prays for in Ephesians are not a superficial harmony that avoids conflict. Rather, they are a strength that enables us to stand firm in the face of division and to love even those who oppose us. Jesus’ fire is not one of destruction but of purification, calling us to a radical commitment to His truth. In our daily lives, we are called to embody this tension: to be people of love and unity who are also willing to stand up for the truth, even when it is difficult. Let us ask for the grace to be strengthened by the Spirit, to embrace the fullness of God’s love, and to live courageously as disciples of Christ, trusting that He is always at work in us, even in the midst of challenge and division.