Daily Readings - Wed Oct 04 2017
Nehemiah
1In the month of Nisan, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when wine was before him, I took up the wine and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence.2And the king said to me, "Why is your face sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing but sadness of the heart." Then I was very much afraid.3I said to the king, "Let the king live forever! Why should not my face be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' graves, lies in ruins, and its gates have been destroyed by fire?"4Then the king said to me, "What are you requesting?" So I prayed to the God of heaven.5And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it."6And the king said to me (the queen sitting beside him), "How long will you be gone, and when will you return?" So it pleased the king to send me when I had given him a time.7And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah,8and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king's forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy." And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me.
Luke
57As they were going along the road, someone said to him, "I will follow you wherever you go."58And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."59To another he said, "Follow me." But he said, "Lord, let me first go and bury my father."60And Jesus said to him, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God."61Yet another said, "I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home."62Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on courage, trust, and commitment. In the first reading, Nehemiah, a cupbearer to the Persian king, finds himself in a moment of great opportunity. Seeing the sadness in Nehemiah’s heart, the king asks him what troubles him. Nehemiah, with great courage, shares his sorrow over the desolation of Jerusalem and its burned gates. Trusting in God’s providence, he asks the king for permission to return to Judea to rebuild the city. The king, moved by Nehemiah’s sincerity and the favor of God, grants his request. This passage reminds us that even in the face of great challenges, trusting in God’s plan and acting with courage can lead to remarkable outcomes.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples about the cost of following him. When someone offers to follow Jesus wherever he goes, Jesus responds by highlighting the sacrifices involved. He then addresses two other would-be followers, emphasizing that true discipleship requires prioritizing the kingdom of God above all else. These exchanges remind us that following Christ is not a part-time commitment but a way of life that demands our full dedication. Jesus’ words challenge us to examine our own priorities and to ensure that we are not letting worldly concerns distract us from our ultimate goal of living for God.
Both readings call us to reflect on our own commitment to God and to the mission He has entrusted to us. Like Nehemiah, we are called to trust in God’s providence and to act courageously, even when the task seems daunting. Like the disciples, we are reminded that following Christ requires sacrifice and a willingness to put God first in all aspects of our lives. As we go about our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Am I trusting in God’s plan? Am I putting God first, even when it is difficult? May we, like Nehemiah and the disciples, embrace the challenges of living out our faith with courage, trust, and unwavering commitment.