Daily Readings - Mon Nov 12 2018

¹Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness,²in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began³and at the proper time manifested in his word through the preaching with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior;⁴To Titus, my true child in a common faith:Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.⁵This is why I left you in Crete, so that you might put what remained into order, and appoint elders in every town as I directed you--⁶if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife, and his children are believers and not open to the charge of debauchery or insubordination.⁷For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,⁸but hospitable, a lover of good, self-controlled, upright, holy, and disciplined.⁹He must hold firm to the trustworthy word as taught, so that he may be able to give instruction in sound doctrine and also to rebuke those who contradict it.

Luke

Chapter 17

¹And he said to his disciples, "Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom they come!²It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were cast into the sea than that he should cause one of these little ones to sin.³Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him,⁴and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, 'I repent,' you must forgive him."⁵The apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith!"⁶And the Lord said, "If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, 'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the qualities of leadership, the importance of living out our faith with integrity, and the call to forgive and grow in faith. In the first reading from Titus, St. Paul outlines the characteristics of a bishop, emphasizing that he must be a man of faith, integrity, and moral uprightness. This passage reminds us that leadership in the Church is not about power or prestige but about serving God and His people with humility and truth. The bishop, as a steward of God, must be an example of sound doctrine and virtuous living, guiding others on the path to holiness. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches His disciples about the inevitability of scandals but warns that causing them, especially to the "little ones," is a grave sin. He calls His followers to be attentive to their own actions and to correct one another with love when they see sin. Forgiveness, Jesus emphasizes, must be generous and unconditional, even when someone offends us repeatedly. The disciples, recognizing the difficulty of living out such a radical call, ask for an increase in faith. Jesus responds by teaching that even a small amount of faith can accomplish great things, as long as it is rooted in trust and obedience to God. These readings are deeply connected. Both emphasize the importance of living out our faith in a way that reflects God’s truth and love. The first reading challenges us to look at how we lead and serve others, whether in formal roles or in our everyday lives. The Gospel, on the other hand, calls us to examine our relationships and our willingness to forgive and grow in faith. Together, they remind us that our faith is not just a set of beliefs but a way of life that must be lived with integrity, compassion, and trust in God. As we strive to live out our faith, let us ask for the grace to be good stewards of God’s truth, to forgive generously, and to trust in the power of even a small amount of faith to transform our lives and the world around us.