Daily Readings - Fri Jan 26 2024

First Reading - 2 Timothy 1.1-8 or Titus 1.1-5

¹Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, in accord with the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus²to Timothy, most beloved son. Grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord³I give thanks to God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a pure conscience. For without ceasing I hold the remembrance of you in my prayers, night and day⁴desiring to see you, recalling your tears so as to be filled with joy⁵calling to mind the same faith, which is in you unfeigned, which also first dwelt in your grandmother, Lois, and in your mother, Eunice, and also, I am certain, in you⁶Because of this, I admonish you to revive the grace of God, which is in you by the imposition of my hands⁷For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of virtue, and of love, and of self-restraint⁸And so, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner. Instead, collaborate with the Gospel in accord with the virtue of God

Titus

Chapter 1

¹Paul, a servant of God and an Apostle of Jesus Christ, in accord with the faith of God’s elect and in acknowledgment of the truth which is accompanied by piety²in the hope of the eternal life that God, who does not lie, promised before the ages of time³which, at the proper time, he has manifested by his Word, in the preaching that has been entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior⁴to Titus, beloved son according to the common faith. Grace and peace, from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Savior⁵For this reason, I left you behind in Crete: so that those things which are lacking, you would correct, and so that you would ordain, throughout the communities, priests, (just as I also ordained you

Luke

Chapter 10

¹Then, after these things, the Lord also designated another seventy-two. And he sent them in pairs before his face, into every city and place where he was to arrive²And he said to them: "Certainly the harvest is great, but the workers are few. Therefore, ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers into his harvest³Go forth. Behold, I send you out like lambs among wolves⁴Do not choose to carry a purse, nor provisions, nor shoes; and you shall greet no one along the way⁵Into whatever house you will have entered, first say, ‘Peace to this house.⁶And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him. But if not, it will return to you⁷And remain in the same house, eating and drinking the things that are with them. For the worker is worthy of his pay. Do not choose to pass from house to house⁸And into whatever city you have entered and they have received you, eat what they set before you⁹And cure the sick who are in that place, and proclaim to them, ‘The kingdom of God has drawn near to you.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we are reminded of the call to live with courage and trust in God’s providence. The first reading from 2 Timothy encourages us to embrace the gift of faith that has been passed down to us, just as Timothy received it from his mother and grandmother. Paul urges Timothy not to be afraid or ashamed to witness to the Gospel, but to stir into flame the grace of God that is within him. This passage emphasizes the importance of perseverance and boldness in living out our faith, even in the face of challenges. The Gospel from Luke complements this message as Jesus sends out 72 disciples to prepare the way for his coming. He instructs them to travel lightly, without extra provisions, and to rely on the hospitality of others. This teaches us about trust in God’s plan and the simplicity of life. The disciples are called to be messengers of peace and healing, and they are not to be discouraged by rejection. Instead, they are to move on, knowing that the kingdom of God is near. This reflects the urgency of the Gospel message and the need to share it with others. Together, these readings invite us to reflect on our own lives. How do we respond to the call to share the Gospel? Do we trust in God’s providence, or do we hold back because of fear or doubt? Let us ask for the grace to live with the courage and simplicity shown by the disciples. May we, like Timothy, stir into flame the gifts we have received and not be afraid to witness to the love and mercy of God in our daily lives.