Daily Readings - Thu Oct 17 2024

¹Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, to all the saints who are at Ephesus and to the faithful in Christ Jesus²Grace and peace to you from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, in Christ⁴just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy and immaculate in his sight, in charity⁵He has predestined us to adoption as sons, through Jesus Christ, in himself, according to the purpose of his will⁶for the praise of the glory of his grace, with which he has gifted us in his beloved Son⁷In him, we have redemption through his blood: the remission of sins in accord with the riches of his grace⁸which is superabundant in us, with all wisdom and prudence⁹So does he make known to us the mystery of his will, which he has set forth in Christ, in a manner well-pleasing to him,¹⁰in the dispensation of the fullness of time, so as to renew in Christ everything that exists through him in heaven and on earth

Luke

Chapter 11

⁴⁷Woe to you, who build the tombs of the prophets, while it is your fathers who killed them⁴⁸Clearly, you are testifying that you consent to the actions of your fathers, because even though they killed them, you build their sepulchers⁴⁹Because of this also, the wisdom of God said: I will send to them Prophets and Apostles, and some of these they will kill or persecute⁵⁰so that the blood of all the Prophets, which has been shed since the foundation of the world, may be charged against this generation⁵¹from the blood of Abel, even to the blood of Zachariah, who perished between the altar and the sanctuary. So I say to you: it will be required of this generation⁵²Woe to you, experts in the law! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You yourselves do not enter, and those who were entering, you would have prohibited.⁵³Then, while he was saying these things to them, the Pharisees and the experts in the law began to insist strongly that he restrain his mouth about many things⁵⁴And waiting to ambush him, they sought something from his mouth that they might seize upon, in order to accuse him

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter profound reflections on God's grace and human response. The first reading from Ephesians reminds us of the abundant blessings we receive from God, predestined for adoption as His children through Jesus Christ. This letter, written to early Christians, emphasizes the richness of God's grace and the unity believers share in Christ. The Gospel from Luke presents Jesus condemning the Pharisees for their hypocrisy, highlighting their failure to recognize the prophets and their role in persecution. This passage underscores the spiritual blindness that can lead to rejecting God's messengers. Both readings connect through the theme of God's plan and human response. Ephesians celebrates being chosen and blessed, while Luke warns of the consequences of rejecting divine truths. Together, they remind us that grace calls for a responsive heart, open to God's will. In our daily lives, these readings invite us to recognize our blessings and remain humble. We must avoid spiritual blindness by living with gratitude and openness to God's grace. The moral lesson here is the importance of embracing our role in God's plan with humility and openness, ensuring we do not hinder others from experiencing His love. Let us strive to live in harmony with God's will, allowing His grace to guide us in unity and love.