Daily Readings - Tue Nov 08 2022
Titus
1But you are to speak the things that befit sound doctrine2Old men should be sober, chaste, prudent, sound in faith, in love, in patience3Old women, similarly, should be in holy attire, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teaching well4so that they may teach prudence to the young women, so that they may love their husbands, love their children5be sensible, chaste, restrained, have concern for the household, be kind, be subordinate to their husbands: so that the Word of God may be not blasphemed6Exhort young men similarly, so that they may show self-restraint7In all things, present yourself as an example of good works: in doctrine, with integrity, with seriousness8with sound words, irreproachably, so that he who is an opponent may dread that he has nothing evil to say about us11For the grace of God our Savior has appeared to all men12instructing us to reject impiety and worldly desires, so that we may live soberly and justly and piously in this age13looking forward to the blessed hope and the advent of the glory of the great God and of our Savior Jesus Christ14He gave himself for our sake, so that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and might cleanse for himself an acceptable people, pursuers of good works
Luke
7But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, would say to him, as he was returning from the field, ‘Come in immediately; sit down to eat,8and would not say to him: ‘Prepare my dinner; gird yourself and minister to me, while I eat and drink; and after these things, you shall eat and drink?9Would he be grateful to that servant, for doing what he commanded him to do10I think not. So too, when you have done all these things that have been taught to you, you should say: ‘We are useless servants. We have done what we should have done.’
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the call to live a life of integrity, humility, and service. The first reading from Titus emphasizes the importance of sound doctrine and virtuous living. St. Paul exhorts the early Christian community to live in a way that reflects the grace of God, with older men and women setting an example of prudence, faith, and love. Younger men are urged to self-restraint and integrity, while all are called to good works and a life of piety. This passage underscores the transformative power of God’s grace, which enables us to reject worldly desires and live justly and soberly as we await the hope of eternal life.
The Gospel from Luke complements this message with a parable about a servant and his master. Jesus challenges us to embrace humility and recognize that our service to God is not about seeking praise or reward but about fulfilling our duty as His disciples. When we have done all that is required of us, we should not expect gratitude but rather acknowledge that we are merely doing what is expected. This teaching humbles us, reminding us that our efforts, no matter how great, are always a response to God’s prior gift of grace.
Reflecting on these readings, we are called to live with integrity and humility in our daily lives. Whether in our families, workplaces, or communities, we are to be examples of virtue and love, not for our own glory but for the sake of God’s kingdom. Let us approach our responsibilities with gratitude, recognizing that everything we do is a response to the boundless grace of our Savior. In doing so, we grow in holiness and become the kind of people who bring light and hope to a world in need.