Daily Readings - Mon Aug 30 2021

¹³And we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who are sleeping, so as not to be sorrowful, like these others who do not have hope¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus has died and risen again, so also will God bring back with Jesus those who sleep in him¹⁵For we say this to you, in the Word of the Lord: that we who are alive, who remain until the return of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep¹⁶For the Lord himself, with a command and with the voice of an Archangel and with a trumpet of God, shall descend from heaven. And the dead, who are in Christ, shall rise up first¹⁷Next, we who are alive, who are remaining, shall be taken up quickly together with them into the clouds to meet Christ in the air. And in this way, we shall be with the Lord always¹⁸Therefore, console one another with these words

Luke

Chapter 4

¹⁶And he went to Nazareth, where he had been raised. And he entered into the synagogue, according to his custom, on the Sabbath day. And he rose up to read¹⁷And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. And as he unrolled the book, he found the place where it was written¹⁸"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; because of this, he has anointed me. He has sent me to evangelize the poor, to heal the contrite of heart¹⁹to preach forgiveness to captives and sight to the blind, to release the broken into forgiveness, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of retribution.²⁰And when he had rolled up the book, he returned it to the minister, and he sat down. And the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fixed on him²¹Then he began to say to them, "On this day, this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.²²And everyone gave testimony to him. And they wondered at the words of grace that proceeded from his mouth. And they said, "Is this not the son of Joseph?²³And he said to them: "Certainly, you will recite to me this saying, ‘Physician, heal yourself.’ The many great things that we have heard were done in Capernaum, do here also in your own country.²⁴Then he said: "Amen I say to you, that no prophet is accepted in his own country²⁵In truth, I say to you, there were many widows in the days of Elijah in Israel, when the heavens were closed for three years and six months, when a great famine had occurred throughout the entire land²⁶And to none of these was Elijah sent, except to Zarephath of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow²⁷And there were many lepers in Israel under the prophet Elisha. And none of these was cleansed, except Naaman the Syrian.²⁸And all those in the synagogue, upon hearing these things, were filled with anger²⁹And they rose up and drove him beyond the city. And they brought him all the way to the edge of the mount, upon which their city had been built, so that they might thrown him down violently³⁰But passing through their midst, he went away

Sermon

In today's readings, we find a powerful message of hope and mission. The first reading from 1 Thessalonians offers comfort to those grieving, assuring them that through faith in Jesus' resurrection, they can find solace. It reminds us that our belief in eternal life with Christ brings hope, even in the face of death. The Gospel from Luke presents Jesus in his hometown synagogue, where he proclaims the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, emphasizing his mission to the marginalized. However, this message is met with resistance, leading to an attempt on his life, yet he escapes unharmed. The context of 1 Thessalonians is a letter written to early Christians, addressing their concerns about the resurrection and the return of Jesus. It provides comfort and reassurance, reinforcing their faith. In Luke, Jesus' ministry is just beginning, and this scene highlights the rejection he faces, a common fate for prophets. This rejection underscores the challenges of living out one's faith and the mission of bringing God's message to all. These readings connect through the themes of hope and mission. The hope from Thessalonians fuels the courage needed for the mission in Luke. Despite rejection, Jesus persists, showing us that our faith should lead us to embrace God's call, even when faced with adversity. Applying this to daily life, we are reminded to hold onto hope, especially in difficult times. Like the early Christians, we can find comfort in our faith. We are also called to live out the Gospel, reaching out to those on the margins, even if it means facing challenges or rejection. This requires perseverance and trust in God's plan. In reflection, today's readings inspire us to embrace both the hope and the mission. We are to live with the assurance of eternal life and to actively share God's love and justice. Let us strive to embody this hope and mission, trusting in God's guidance and strength.