Daily Readings - Sat Nov 03 2018

¹⁸But what does it matter? As long as, by every means, whether under pretext or in truthfulness, Christ is announced. And about this, I rejoice, and moreover, I will continue to rejoice¹⁹For I know that this will bring me to salvation, through your prayers and under the ministration of the Spirit of Jesus Christ²⁰by means of my own expectation and hope. For in nothing shall I be confounded. Instead, with all confidence, now just as always, Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death²¹For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain²²And while I live in the flesh, for me, there is the fruit of works. But I do not know which I would choose²³For I am constrained between the two: having a desire to be dissolved and to be with Christ, which is the far better thing²⁴but then to remain in the flesh is necessary for your sake²⁵And having this confidence, I know that I shall remain and that I shall continue to remain with all of you, for your advancement and for your joy in the faith²⁶so that your rejoicing may abound in Christ Jesus for me, through my return to you again

Luke

Chapter 14

¹And it happened that, when Jesus entered the house of a certain leader of the Pharisees on the Sabbath to eat bread, they were observing him⁷Then he also told a parable, to those who were invited, noticing how they chose the first seats at the table, saying to them⁸"When you are invited to a wedding, do not sit down in the first place, lest perhaps someone more honored than yourself may have been invited by him⁹And then he who called both you and him, approaching, may say to you, ‘Give this place to him.’ And then you would begin, with shame, to take the last place¹⁰But when you are invited, go, sit down in the lowest place, so that, when he who invited you arrives, he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the sight of those who sit at table together with you¹¹For everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful lessons about humility and trust in God’s plan. The first reading from Philippians finds Paul in prison, yet he is filled with joy because he knows that, despite the challenges he faces, the Gospel is being proclaimed. Paul’s confidence comes not from his own strength but from his trust in God’s plan. He writes, “For me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain,” showing that his ultimate hope is in union with Christ, whether through life or death. This passage reminds us that our true strength lies not in our circumstances but in our faith and surrender to God’s will. The Gospel from Luke offers a parable about humility. Jesus notices how guests at a banquet rush to take the places of honor, and he warns against seeking to exalt oneself. Instead, he teaches that true greatness comes from humility. When we humbly take the lowest place, God will exalt us in His time. This parable challenges us to examine our attitudes in our interactions with others. Do we seek recognition and praise, or do we serve others with humility? Jesus makes it clear that “everyone who exalts himself shall be humbled, and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.” Both readings call us to live with humility and trust in God’s plan. Like Paul, we are to find joy in serving Christ, even in difficult circumstances, knowing that our ultimate reward is union with Him. And like the guests in the parable, we are to approach life with humility, recognizing that true greatness comes not from self-promotion but from surrendering to God’s will. Let us strive to live in such a way that Christ is magnified in us, whether through life’s triumphs or trials.