Daily Readings - Fri Sep 07 2018
1 Corinthians
1This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.2Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.3But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.4I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.5Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
Luke
33And they said to him, "The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink."34And Jesus said to them, "Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?35The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days."36He also told them a parable: "No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.37And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed.38But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins.39And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, 'The old is good.'"
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the call to faithfulness and the need to embrace the newness of life in Christ. The first reading from 1 Corinthians encourages us to see ourselves as ministers of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. Paul emphasizes that our ultimate judgment comes not from others or even from ourselves, but from the Lord. This calls us to humility and trust in God’s plan, recognizing that true wisdom and justification come from Him alone.
The Gospel from Luke presents Jesus addressing the question of fasting. While John’s disciples and the Pharisees fast, Jesus explains that His disciples cannot fast while the groom is with them. He uses the parables of the patch, the wineskins, and the old and new wine to illustrate that His teachings cannot be confined to the old ways of thinking. Just as new wine requires new wineskins, the Good News of the Kingdom requires open hearts and minds willing to embrace change.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own lives. Are we holding onto old habits or ways of thinking that prevent us from fully embracing the new life Christ offers? Let us ask for the grace to be faithful stewards of God’s mysteries and to trust in His judgment. May we also have the courage to let go of the old and receive the newness of life that Jesus brings, allowing His teachings to transform us and guide us in our daily lives.