Daily Readings - Sun Mar 03 2019

⁴If you do not hold yourself steadfastly to the fear of the Lord, your house will be quickly overthrown⁵Just as the dust remains when one shakes a sieve, so will the doubt of a man remain in his thoughts⁶The furnace tests the potter’s vessels, and the trial of the tribulation tests just men⁷As the pruning of a tree reveals its fruit, so does a word reveal the thoughts in the heart of a man

1 Corinthians

Chapter 15

⁵⁴And when this mortality has been clothed with immortality, then the word that was written shall occur: "Death is swallowed up in victory.⁵⁵"O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?⁵⁶Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law⁵⁷But thanks be to God, who has given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ⁵⁸And so, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and unmovable, abounding always in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not useless in the Lord

Luke

Chapter 6

³⁹Now he told them another comparison: "How can the blind lead the blind? Would they not both fall into a pit⁴⁰The disciple is not above his teacher. But each one will be perfected, if he is like his teacher⁴¹And why do you see the straw that is in your brother’s eye, while the log that is in your own eye, you do not consider⁴²Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, allow me to remove the straw from your eye,’ while you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? Hypocrite, first remove the log from your own eye, and then will you see clearly, so that you may lead out the straw from your brother’s eye⁴³For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor does an evil tree produce good fruit⁴⁴For each and every tree is known by its fruit. For they do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather the grape from the bramble bush⁴⁵A good man, from the good storehouse of his heart, offers what is good. And an evil man, from the evil storehouse, offers what is evil. For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks

Sermon

In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on the essence of faith, self-examination, and the authenticity of our actions. The first reading from Sirach reminds us that true faith must be steadfast, even in the face of trials. It uses vivid metaphors—a sieve and a furnace—to illustrate how our commitment to God is tested, revealing the genuineness of our hearts. This passage encourages us to embrace challenges as opportunities to deepen our faith, much like refining fire purifies metal. The second reading from 1 Corinthians shifts our focus to the ultimate triumph of faith over death. Paul emphasizes that through Christ, death loses its power, and sin is stripped of its authority. This reading offers a message of hope, reminding us that our struggles are not in vain, as we are assured of victory through Jesus. It calls us to stand firm in our faith, knowing that our efforts to live a virtuous life are not futile but are instead fruitful in God’s eyes. The Gospel from Luke challenges us to introspection and humility. Jesus’ parables remind us that we cannot lead others if we ourselves are not guided by wisdom. The striking image of seeing a straw in another’s eye while ignoring the log in our own highlights the hypocrisy of judging others without first examining ourselves. Jesus teaches that our words and actions are reflections of the state of our hearts, urging us to cultivate goodness within so that our outward expressions may be sincere and life-giving. As we apply these teachings to our daily lives, we are reminded to approach each challenge with faith, trusting in God’s plan. We must be honest with ourselves, acknowledging our own shortcomings before addressing those of others. Let us nurture our hearts with love and compassion, ensuring that our actions and words bear witness to the good news of Christ. In doing so, we embody the hope and integrity that these readings call us to, living as fruitful branches of the vine that is Christ.