Daily Readings - Sat Sep 12 2020
1 Corinthians
14Because of this, most beloved of mine, flee from the worship of idols15Since I am speaking to those who are prudent, judge what I say for yourselves16The cup of benediction that we bless, is it not a communion in the Blood of Christ? And the bread that we break, is it not a participation in the Body of the Lord17Through the one bread, we, though many, are one body: all of us who are partakers of the one bread18Consider Israel, according to the flesh. Are not those who eat from the sacrifices partakers of the altar19What is next? Should I say that what is immolated to idols is anything? Or that the idol is anything20But the things that the Gentiles immolate, they immolate to demons, and not to God. And I do not want you to become partakers with demons21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of demons. You cannot be partakers of the table of the Lord, and partakers of the table of demons22Or should we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he is? All is lawful to me, but not all is expedient
Luke
43For 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 speaks46But why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I say47Anyone who comes to me, and listens to my words, and does them: I will reveal to you what he is like48He is like a man building a house, who has dug deep and has laid the foundation upon the rock. Then, when the floodwaters came, the river was rushing against that house, and it was not able to move it. For it was founded upon the rock49But whoever hears and does not do: he is like a man building his house upon the soil, without a foundation. The river rushed against it, and it soon fell down, and the ruin of that house was great.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the authenticity of our faith and the integrity of our actions. The first reading from 1 Corinthians reminds us of the sacred nature of the Eucharist, urging us to avoid idolatry and instead commune deeply with Christ. The Gospel from Luke uses the metaphor of trees and their fruit to illustrate that our actions reveal the true state of our hearts, emphasizing the importance of living according to Jesus' teachings.
The context of these readings is rooted in early Christian communities grappling with issues of faith and practice. In Corinth, Paul addresses a community dealing with idolatry and the meaning of the Eucharist, calling for a deeper understanding of communion with Christ. Luke's Gospel presents Jesus teaching on the necessity of integrity, where true faith is demonstrated through actions, not just words, using the parable of the builder to stress the importance of a strong spiritual foundation.
Together, these readings call us to examine our commitments and ensure our actions reflect our faith. They remind us that superficial participation in worship or daily life can lead to hypocrisy and weakness. Instead, we are urged to build our lives on the rock of Jesus' teachings, ensuring that our words and deeds align, leading to a life of integrity and spiritual strength. This is the essence of an authentic Christian life—one that transforms and sustains us through life's challenges.