Daily Readings - Thu Oct 14 2021
Romans
21But now, without the law, the justice of God, to which the law and the prophets have testified, has been made manifest22And the justice of God, through the faith of Jesus Christ, is in all those and over all those who believe in him. For there is no distinction23For all have sinned and all are in need of the glory of God24We have been justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus25whom God has offered as a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to reveal his justice for the remission of the former offenses26and by the forbearance of God, to reveal his justice in this time, so that he himself might be both the Just One and the Justifier of anyone who is of the faith of Jesus Christ27So then, where is your self-exaltation? It is excluded. Through what law? That of works? No, but rather through the law of faith28For we judge a man to be justified by faith, without the works of the law29Is God of the Jews only and not also of the Gentiles? On the contrary, of the Gentiles also30For One is the God who justifies circumcision by faith and uncircumcision through faith
Luke
47Woe to you, who build the tombs of the prophets, while it is your fathers who killed them48Clearly, you are testifying that you consent to the actions of your fathers, because even though they killed them, you build their sepulchers49Because of this also, the wisdom of God said: I will send to them Prophets and Apostles, and some of these they will kill or persecute50so that the blood of all the Prophets, which has been shed since the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation51from the blood of Abel, even to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. So I say to you: it will be required of this generation52Woe to you, experts in the law! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves do not enter, and those who were entering, you would have prohibited.53Then, while he was saying these things to them, the Pharisees and the experts in the law began to insist strongly that he restrain his mouth about many things54And waiting to ambush him, they sought something from his mouth that they might seize upon, in order to accuse him
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound reflections on justice, faith, and hypocrisy. The first reading from Romans emphasizes God’s justice, which is revealed through faith in Jesus Christ. Paul explains that this justice is available to all—Jews and Gentiles alike—because all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. Through Christ’s sacrifice, we are justified freely by God’s grace, and no one can boast of their own works. This passage reminds us that salvation is not earned but is a gift from God, and it calls us to humility and trust in His mercy.
The Gospel from Luke presents a stark contrast to this message of grace. Jesus denounces the Pharisees and scholars of the law for their hypocrisy. They honor the prophets with tombs but reject the message of the prophets, just as their ancestors did. Jesus points out that they have failed to live according to the teachings they claim to uphold. Even worse, they prevent others from entering into the kingdom of God by withholding the “key of knowledge.” This critique is not just about the Pharisees of Jesus’ time; it challenges us today to examine whether our actions align with our faith and whether we are truly living as disciples of Christ.
These readings remind us that faith without works is dead, but works without faith are empty. True justice and righteousness come from a heart that is humble, repentant, and open to God’s grace. As we reflect on these passages, let us ask ourselves: Are we living authentically as followers of Christ? Do our words and actions reflect the love and mercy of God? Let us strive to be people of integrity, who not only hear the Word of God but also live it out in our daily lives. In doing so, we can truly be instruments of God’s justice and love in the world.