Daily Readings - Mon Oct 24 2022

Ephesians

Chapter 4

³²And be kind and merciful to one another, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you in Christ

¹Therefore, as most beloved sons, be imitators of God²And walk in love, just as Christ also loved us and delivered himself for us, as an oblation and a sacrifice to God, with a fragrance of sweetness³But let not any kind of fornication, or impurity, or rapacity so much as be named among you, just as is worthy of the saints⁴nor any indecent, or foolish, or abusive talk, for this is without purpose; but instead, give thanks⁵For know and understand this: no one who is a fornicator, or lustful, or rapacious (for these are a kind of service to idols) holds an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God⁶Let no one seduce you with empty words. For because of these things, the wrath of God was sent upon the sons of unbelief⁷Therefore, do not choose to become participants with them⁸For you were darkness, in times past, but now you are light, in the Lord. So then, walk as sons of the light

Luke

Chapter 13

¹⁰Now he was teaching in their synagogue on the Sabbaths¹¹And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years. And she was bent over; and she was unable to look upwards at all¹²And when Jesus saw her, he called her to himself, and he said to her, "Woman, you are released from your infirmity.¹³And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately she was straightened, and she glorified God¹⁴Then, as a result, the ruler of the synagogue became angry that Jesus had cured on the Sabbath, and he said to the crowd: "There are six days on which you ought to work. Therefore, come and be cured on those, and not on the day of the Sabbath.¹⁵Then the Lord said to him in response: "You hypocrites! Does not each one of you, on the Sabbath, release his ox or donkey from the stall, and lead it to water¹⁶So then, should not this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for lo these eighteen years, be released from this restraint on the day of the Sabbath?¹⁷And as he was saying these things, all his adversaries were ashamed. And all the people rejoiced in everything that was being done gloriously by him

Sermon

In today’s readings, we are reminded of the transformative power of God’s love and the call to live as children of light. The first reading from Ephesians urges us to imitate God by living with kindness, mercy, and forgiveness. It warns against the corruption of sin and encourages us to walk in love, just as Christ loved us and sacrificed himself for us. The reading invites us to reject darkness and instead embrace the light of holiness, reflecting God’s goodness in our lives. The Gospel from Luke presents a vivid contrast between rigid legalism and compassionate love. Jesus heals a woman bent over by a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years, despite the objections of the synagogue ruler who insists that healing should not happen on the Sabbath. Jesus exposes the hypocrisy of valuing rules over people, emphasizing that the Sabbath was made for humanity, not the other way around. His actions reveal that true faith is not about following rules but about living with mercy and compassion. Together, these readings challenge us to reflect on how we live out our faith. Are we more focused on rules and appearances, or are we living as children of light, radiating God’s love and mercy? Let us ask ourselves: Do our words and actions bring healing and hope to others, or do they perpetuate division and darkness? May we, like Jesus, choose to be instruments of God’s grace, bringing light and freedom to those around us.