Daily Readings - Wed Sep 30 2020

¹And Job, responding, said²Truly, I know that it is so, and that man cannot be justified compared with God³If he chooses to contend with him, he is not able to respond to him once out of a thousand times⁴He is understanding in heart and mighty in strength; who has resisted him and yet had peace⁵He has moved mountains, and those whom he overthrew in his fury did not know it⁶He shakes the earth out of its place and its pillars tremble⁷He commands the sun and it does not rise, and he closes the stars as if under a seal⁸He alone extends the heavens, and he walks upon the waves of the sea⁹He fashions Arcturus, and Orion, and Hyades, and the interior of the south¹⁰He accomplishes great and incomprehensible and miraculous things, which cannot be numbered¹¹If he approaches me, I will not see him; if he departs, I will not understand¹²If he suddenly should question, who will answer him? Or who can say, "Why did you do so?¹⁴what am I then, that I should answer him and exchange words with him¹⁵And if I now have any justice, I will not respond, but will beseech my judge¹⁶And if he should listen to me when I call, I would not believe that he had heard my voice

Luke

Chapter 9

⁵⁷And it happened that, as they were walking along the way, someone said to him, "I will follow you, wherever you will go.⁵⁸Jesus said to him: "Foxes have dens, and the birds of the air have nests. But the Son of man has nowhere to lay his head.⁵⁹Then he said to another, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father.⁶⁰And Jesus said to him: "Let the dead bury their dead. But you go and announce the kingdom of God.⁶¹And another said: "I will follow you, Lord. But permit me first to explain this to those of my house.⁶²Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow, and then looks back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful reflections on the nature of faith, trust, and surrender. The first reading from Job presents us with a man who, in the midst of suffering and confusion, humbly acknowledges the vastness of God’s power and wisdom. Job recognizes that he cannot justify himself before God or fully understand His ways, and so he turns to humility and trust. This is not an act of resignation but of faith—a recognition that God’s ways are beyond human comprehension and that true wisdom lies in surrendering to His will. In the Gospel, Jesus challenges would-be followers to consider the cost of discipleship. He calls them to radical commitment, refusing to let even the most natural human ties—family obligations or personal plans—take precedence over following Him. This is not a call to irresponsibility but to prioritization. Jesus is asking us to let go of our need for control, security, and comfort, and instead to trust in His plan and timing. Like Job, we are invited to surrender our own understanding and desires, trusting that God’s way is always greater than our own. These readings remind us that faith is not about having all the answers or ensuring a smooth path. It is about trusting in God’s providence, even when the road is uncertain. In our daily lives, this means letting go of our need to control every outcome and instead placing our confidence in God. It means being willing to step out in faith, even when we cannot see the full picture. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Where am I holding back from fully trusting God? What distractions or attachments am I allowing to take precedence over my relationship with Him? May we, like Job, humbly acknowledge God’s greatness, and may we, like the disciples, follow Jesus with courage and abandon, trusting that He will guide us home.