Daily Readings - Wed Sep 20 2023
1 Timothy
14I am writing these things to you, with the hope that I will come to you soon15But, if I am delayed, you should know the manner in which it is necessary to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and the foundation of truth16And it is clearly great, this mystery of piety, which was manifested in the flesh, which was justified in the Spirit, which has appeared to Angels, which has been preached to the Gentiles, which is believed in the world, which has been taken up in glory
Luke
31Then the Lord said: "Therefore, to what shall I compare the men of this generation? And to what are they similar32They are like children sitting in the marketplace, talking with one another, and saying: ‘We sang to you, and you did not dance. We lamented, and you did not weep.33For John the Baptist came, neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.34The Son of man came, eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Behold, a voracious man and a drinker of wine, a friend of tax collectors and of sinners.35But wisdom is justified by all her children.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of God's wisdom and our response to it. In the first reading from 1 Timothy, we hear about the Church as the "pillar and foundation of truth," emphasizing its role in upholding and proclaiming the mystery of God's plan revealed in Christ. This mystery, which transcends human understanding, is both a gift and a responsibility for believers. The Gospel from Luke presents Jesus critiquing the inconsistent expectations of His contemporaries, who judged John the Baptist for his austerity and Jesus for His openness, yet failed to recognize the wisdom of God at work in both. Jesus' words remind us that God's truth cannot be confined to human categories or expectations.
These readings are connected by the theme of wisdom and how it is received. The Church, as described in 1 Timothy, is the dwelling place of God's truth, where the mystery of Christ is made known. Yet, as Luke's Gospel shows, this truth is often met with resistance or misunderstanding. Jesus' critique highlights the danger of judging God's messengers based on preconceived notions rather than openness to the Spirit. Together, the readings call us to humility and discernment, recognizing that God's wisdom may come in unexpected forms.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to embrace the mystery of faith with openness and gratitude. Like the Church, we are called to be pillars of truth, yet we must also avoid the temptation to judge others based on appearances or expectations. Jesus' words remind us that wisdom is not about fitting into human categories but about living in harmony with God's plan. Let us strive to be children of wisdom, receptive to the ways God speaks to us, even when it challenges our comfortable assumptions. In doing so, we become living testimonies to the truth that sets us free.