Daily Readings - Fri Sep 24 2021
Haggai
1And in the seventh month, on the twenty-first of the month, the word of the Lord came, by the hand of Haggai the prophet, saying2Speak to Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, the governor of Judah, and to Jesus the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and to the remainder of the people, saying3Who is left among you, who saw this house in its first glory? And how do you see it now? Is it not, in comparison to that, as nothing in your eyes4And now be strengthened, Zerubbabel, says the Lord. And be strengthened, Jesus the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. And be strengthened, all people of the land, says the Lord of hosts. For I am with you, says the Lord of hosts.5And act according to the word that I planted with you when you departed from the land of Egypt. And my Spirit will be in your midst. Do not be afraid6For thus says the Lord of hosts: There is yet one brief time, and I will move heaven and earth, and the sea and the dry land7And I will move all nations. And the Desired of all nations will arrive. And I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord of hosts8Mine is the silver, and mine is the gold, says the Lord of hosts9Great shall be the glory of this house, the last more than the first, says the Lord of hosts. And in this place, I will bestow peace, says the Lord of hosts
Luke
18And it happened that, when he was praying alone, his disciples also were with him, and he questioned them, saying: "Who do the multitudes say that I am?19But they answered by saying: "John the Baptist. But some say Elijah. Yet truly, others say that one of the prophets from before has risen again.20Then he said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" In response, Simon Peter said, "The Christ of God.21But speaking sharply to them, he instructed them not to tell this to anyone22saying, "For the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the leaders of the priests and the scribes, and be killed, and on the third day rise again.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful messages of hope and trust in God’s plan. The first reading from Haggai speaks to a people who had seen the glory of the Temple in its prime but now found themselves gazing at its ruins. Haggai encourages them not to lose heart, for God is with them, and He promises that the glory of the new Temple will surpass the old. This prophecy is not just about stones and mortar but about the renewal of God’s presence among His people. It reminds us that even in times of discouragement or decline, God’s Spirit remains with us, guiding us toward a future filled with His glory.
The Gospel reading from Luke shifts our focus to Jesus, who asks His disciples a profound question: “Who do you say that I am?” Peter’s confession, “The Christ of God,” is a moment of clarity and faith. Yet, Jesus immediately reveals the cost of being the Messiah: suffering, rejection, and death, followed by resurrection. This passage invites us to reflect on our own understanding of Jesus and the implications of following Him. Like the disciples, we are called to embrace the mystery of the cross, trusting that God’s plan, though often shrouded in darkness, leads to redemption and new life.
Both readings call us to trust in God’s promises, even when the present seems uncertain. Haggai reminds us that God’s Spirit is always at work, transforming ruins into something greater. Luke’s Gospel challenges us to deepen our faith in Jesus, even when the path ahead is difficult. In our daily lives, we are invited to act with courage, knowing that God is with us. Let us not be afraid to face challenges or to embrace the cross, for in doing so, we participate in God’s plan to bring light and hope to a world in need. May we, like the people of Haggai’s time and the disciples of Jesus, trust in the Lord’s promise: “I am with you,” and may we find peace in His presence.