Daily Readings - Mon Sep 23 2019
Ezra
1In the first year of Cyrus, king of the Persians, the Lord stirred up the spirit of Cyrus, king of the Persians, so that the word of the Lord from the mouth of Jeremiah would be fulfilled. And he sent out a voice, throughout his entire kingdom, and also in writing, saying2"Thus says Cyrus, the king of the Persians: The Lord, the God of heaven, has given all the kingdoms of the earth to me, and he himself has instructed me that I should build a house for him in Jerusalem, which is in Judea3Who among you is from his entire people? May his God be with him. Let him ascend to Jerusalem, which is in Judea, and let him build the house of the Lord, the God of Israel. He is the God who is in Jerusalem4And let all who remain, in all the places wherever they may live, assist him, each man from his place, with silver and gold, and goods and cattle, in addition to whatever they may offer voluntarily to the temple of God, which is in Jerusalem.5And the leaders of the fathers from Judah and from Benjamin, with the priests, and the Levites, and all those whose spirit was stirred by God, rose up, so that they might ascend to build the temple of the Lord, which was in Jerusalem6And all those who were all around assisted their hands with vessels of silver and gold, with goods and cattle, with equipment, in addition to whatever they had offered freely
Luke
16Now no one, lighting a candle, covers it with a container, or sets it under a bed. Instead, he places it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light17For there is nothing secret, which will not be made clear, nor is there anything hidden, which will not be known and be brought into plain sight18Therefore, take care how you listen. For whoever has, it will be given to him; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken away from him.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of divine providence, openness, and the call to live as faithful stewards of God’s grace. In the first reading from Ezra, we hear the story of Cyrus, the Persian king, who, inspired by God, issues a decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple. This passage reminds us that God’s plan is not confined by human boundaries; even those who do not know Him can be instruments of His will. The Israelites, stirred by God’s Spirit, respond with generosity and determination, demonstrating that faith requires action and collaboration in building up the community of believers.
In the Gospel, Jesus uses the image of a lamp to teach about the importance of living openly and authentically. He warns against hiding the light of faith, emphasizing that everything hidden will eventually be revealed. This teaching challenges us to examine how we live out our faith—whether we allow God’s light to shine through us or whether we keep it concealed. Jesus also reminds us that our response to His word determines whether we will grow in faith or lose even what we think we have. This is a call to attentiveness and openness to God’s Word in our daily lives.
These readings are connected by the theme of openness and responsiveness to God’s plan. In Ezra, we see the Israelites responding to God’s call with courage and generosity. In Luke, Jesus calls us to live transparently, allowing the light of faith to guide us and others. In our daily lives, this means being willing to step out in faith, to share our gifts and talents, and to trust in God’s providence. Let us ask ourselves: Are we hiding the light of Christ, or are we letting it shine for others to see? May we, like the Israelites and the early disciples, respond generously to God’s call and live as open vessels for His grace.