Daily Readings - Mon Nov 18 2024

¹The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, in order to make known to his servants the things that must soon occur, and which he signified by sending his Angel to his servant John²he has offered testimony to the Word of God, and whatever he saw is the testimony of Jesus Christ³Blessed is he who reads or hears the words of this Prophecy, and who keeps the things that have been written in it. For the time is near⁴John, to the seven Churches, which are in Asia. Grace and peace to you, from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are in the sight of his throne

Chapter 2

¹"And to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus write: Thus says the One who holds the seven stars in his right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands²I know your works, and your hardship and patient endurance, and that you cannot stand those who are evil. And so, you have tested those who declare themselves to be Apostles and are not, and you have found them to be liars³And you have patient endurance for the sake of my name, and you have not fallen away⁴But I have this against you: that you have relinquished your first charity⁵And so, call to mind the place from which you have fallen, and do penance, and do the first works. Otherwise, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent

Luke

Chapter 18

³⁵Now it happened that, as he was approaching Jericho, a certain blind man was sitting beside the way, begging³⁶And when he heard the multitude passing by, he asked what this was³⁷And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by³⁸And he cried out, saying, "Jesus, Son of David, take pity on me!³⁹And those who were passing by rebuked him, so that he would be silent. Yet truly, he cried out all the more, "Son of David, take pity on me!⁴⁰Then Jesus, standing still, ordered him to be brought to him. And when he had drawn near, he questioned him⁴¹saying, "What do you want, that I might do for you?" So he said, "Lord, that I may see.⁴²And Jesus said to him: "Look around. Your faith has saved you.⁴³And immediately he saw. And he followed him, magnifying God. And all the people, when they saw this, gave praise to God

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter powerful messages about faith, perseverance, and the call to remain steadfast in our relationship with God. The first reading from Revelation commends the Church of Ephesus for their endurance and discernment in testing false apostles, yet it also issues a solemn warning: they have abandoned the love they once had. This serves as a reminder to us all to reflect on our own spiritual journey and ensure that our love for God remains vibrant and central in our lives. The Gospel from Luke presents the story of a blind man who, despite being rebuked by the crowd, persists in crying out to Jesus for mercy. His unwavering faith leads to his healing, and he follows Jesus, glorifying God. The context of these readings is rooted in the early Christian experience. Revelation was written to encourage Churches facing persecution and challenges, urging them to remain faithful. Similarly, the Gospel story highlights Jesus’ compassion and the transformative power of faith. Both readings emphasize the importance of perseverance and authentic devotion. The blind man’s persistence in the face of rejection mirrors the challenges faced by the early Christians, and both stories remind us that our faith must be lived out with courage and fidelity. As we apply these readings to our daily lives, we are invited to examine our own relationship with God. Have we, like the Ephesians, allowed our initial fervor to wane? Do we, like the blind man, trust in God’s mercy and power even when faced with obstacles? These questions call us to repentance and renewal. Let us strive to rekindle our first love for God and to live our faith with the same persistence and hope shown by the blind man. May we, like him, experience the healing power of Jesus and follow Him with gratitude and praise.