Daily Readings - Fri Sep 06 2024
1 Corinthians
1Accordingly, let man consider us to be ministers of Christ and attendants of the mysteries of God2Here and now, it is required of attendants that each one be found to be faithful3But as for me, it is such a small thing to be judged by you, or by the age of mankind. And neither do I judge myself4For I have nothing on my conscience. But I am not justified by this. For the Lord is the One who judges me5And so, do not choose to judge before the time, until the Lord returns. He will illuminate the hidden things of the darkness, and he will make manifest the decisions of hearts. And then each one shall have praise from God
Luke
33But they said to him, "Why do the disciples of John fast frequently, and make supplications, and those of the Pharisees act similarly, while yours eat and drink?34And he said to them: "How can you cause the sons of the groom to fast, while the groom is still with them35But the days will come when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast, in those days.36Then he also made a comparison for them: "For no one sews a patch from a new garment onto an old garment. Otherwise, he both disrupts the new one, and the patch from the new one does not join together with the old one37And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine ruptures the wineskins, and it will be poured out, and the wineskins will be lost38Instead, the new wine is put into new wineskins, and both are preserved39And no one who is drinking the old, soon wishes for the new. For he says, ‘The old is better.’
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on faithfulness, judgment, and the newness of God’s work in our lives. In the first reading from 1 Corinthians, St. Paul reminds us that we are ministers of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. He emphasizes that our ultimate judgment comes not from others or even ourselves, but from the Lord. This calls us to humility and trust in God’s plan, recognizing that true evaluation of our lives will only be revealed when the Lord returns. Paul’s words remind us to focus on faithfulness rather than seeking human approval, as our true worth is measured by God alone.
In the Gospel, Jesus responds to the Pharisees’ criticism of His disciples’ lack of fasting by using vivid parables. He compares Himself to a groom whose presence brings joy, and He explains that new wine cannot be poured into old wineskins. Jesus is emphasizing that His teachings and way of life are fresh and transformative. The old ways of thinking and practicing religion cannot contain the new life He offers. This challenges us to embrace change and openness to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives, rather than clinging to comfortable but outdated habits.
Together, these readings encourage us to live with humility, trust, and openness. Like St. Paul, we are called to be faithful servants, trusting that God’s judgment is beyond human understanding. Like Jesus’ disciples, we are invited to embrace the newness of God’s kingdom, even when it disrupts our familiar ways. In our daily lives, this means being willing to let go of what is comfortable but limiting, and instead, to trust in God’s plan. Let us ask for the grace to be open to the Spirit’s renewal and to live with joyful trust in the Lord’s presence in our lives.