Daily Readings - Tue Sep 26 2023

⁹After these things, I saw a great crowd, which no one could number, from all the nations and tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and in sight of the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands¹⁰And they cried out, with a great voice, saying: "Salvation is from our God, who sits upon the throne, and from the Lamb.¹¹And all the Angels were standing around the throne, with the elders and the four living creatures. And they fell upon their faces in view of the throne, and they worshipped God¹²saying: "Amen. Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving, honor and power and strength to our God, forever and ever. Amen.¹³And one of the elders responded and said to me: "These ones who are clothed in white robes, who are they? And where did they come from?¹⁴And I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me: "These are the ones who have come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and have made them white by the blood of the Lamb¹⁵Therefore, they are before the throne of God, and they serve him, day and night, in his temple. And the One who sits upon the throne shall dwell over them¹⁶They shall not hunger, nor shall they thirst, anymore. Neither shall the sun beat down upon them, nor any heat¹⁷For the Lamb, who is in the midst of the throne, will rule over them, and he will lead them to the fountains of the waters of life. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.

2 Corinthians

Chapter 4

⁷But we hold this treasure in earthen vessels, so that what is sublime may be of the power of God, and not of us⁸In all things, we endure tribulation, yet we are not in anguish. We are constrained, yet we are not destitute⁹We suffer persecution, yet we have not been abandoned. We are thrown down, yet we do not perish¹⁰We ever carry around the mortification of Jesus in our bodies, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies¹¹For we who live are ever handed over unto death for the sake of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our mortal flesh¹²Therefore, death is at work in us, and life is at work in you¹³But we have the same Spirit of faith. And just as it is written, "I believed, and for that reason I spoke," so we also believe, and for that reason, we also speak¹⁴For we know that the One who raised up Jesus will raise us up also with Jesus and will place us with you¹⁵Thus, all is for you, so that grace, abounding through many in thanksgiving, may abound to the glory of God

Gospel - Luke 9.23-26 or John 12.24-26

Luke

Chapter 9

²³Then he said to everyone: "If anyone is willing to come after me: let him deny himself, and take up his cross every day, and follow me²⁴For whoever will have saved his life, will lose it. Yet whoever will have lost his life for my sake, will save it²⁵For how does it benefit a man, if he were to gain the whole world, yet lose himself, or cause himself harm²⁶For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words: of him the Son of man will be ashamed, when he will have arrived in his majesty and that of his Father and of the holy Angels

John

Chapter 12

²⁴Amen, amen, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies²⁵it remains alone. But if it dies, it yields much fruit. Whoever loves his life, will lose it. And whoever hates his life in this world, preserves it unto eternal life²⁶If anyone serves me, let him follow me. And where I am, there too my minister shall be. If anyone has served me, my Father will honor him

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter powerful visions and teachings that guide us in our Christian journey. The first reading from Revelation presents a glorious vision of a multitude from every nation worshiping before God's throne, having endured great tribulation. This scene offers a glimpse of the eternal life awaiting those who persevere, free from suffering and in God's presence. The second reading from Corinthians reminds us that our bodies, though frail, hold the treasure of the Gospel. Paul emphasizes that through our struggles, God's power is revealed, and the life of Jesus is manifested in us. The Gospel from Luke is a direct call from Jesus to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow him, underscoring that true life is found in losing ourselves for his sake. These readings are deeply connected, each illuminating different facets of the Christian experience. Revelation provides the ultimate hope, Corinthians the present struggle, and the Gospel the call to action. Together, they remind us that our trials are not in vain but are opportunities for God's power to shine through us. Embracing our crosses, as Jesus taught, means living with commitment and self-denial, trusting in God's strength to sustain us. In our daily lives, this means facing challenges with faith, knowing that our perseverance is part of a larger story of God's triumph. We are called to trust in His plan, even when the path is difficult. The moral lesson here is clear: our commitment to Christ is paramount, and through self-denial and trust, we find true life. Let us embrace our crosses with hope, knowing that our struggles contribute to a greater purpose, leading us toward eternal life with God.