Daily Readings - Sat Jun 02 2018

¹⁷But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.¹⁸They said to you, "In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions."¹⁹It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.²⁰But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit;²¹keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.²²And have mercy on those who doubt;²³save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.²⁴Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,²⁵to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Mark

Chapter 11

²⁷And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him,²⁸and they said to him, "By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?"²⁹Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.³⁰Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me."³¹And they discussed it with one another, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'³²But shall we say, 'From man'?"--they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet.³³So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter themes of authority, faith, and discernment. The first reading from Jude urges believers to remain steadfast in their faith amidst the challenges of the end times, warning against those who would lead others astray by following their own desires. Jude encourages the faithful to build themselves up in their holy faith and to show mercy to others, saving them from the influences of sin. The Gospel from Mark presents a confrontation between Jesus and the religious leaders, who question His authority. Jesus responds by questioning the origin of John the Baptist’s authority, leaving the leaders in a dilemma, unable to answer without exposing their own hypocrisy. These readings invite us to reflect on the nature of authority and our response to it. In Jude, we see a call to trust in God’s authority and to live out our faith with courage and compassion. In Mark, Jesus challenges the leaders—and us—to examine the source of true authority. The leaders’ inability to answer Jesus’ question reveals their lack of faith and their reliance on human approval rather than divine truth. Together, the readings remind us that true authority comes from God, and we must discern carefully where we place our trust. As we apply these readings to our daily lives, we are called to remain rooted in our faith, even when faced with challenges or uncertainties. We must be mindful of the influences around us and strive to live in accordance with God’s will. Like Jude, we are encouraged to pray in the Holy Spirit and to keep ourselves in God’s love. Let us also learn from Jesus’ example, standing firm in our commitment to the truth, even when it is difficult. May we seek to build up one another in faith and to serve as instruments of God’s mercy in a world that often rejects His authority.