Daily Readings - Wed Sep 11 2019
Colossians
1If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.2Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.3For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.4When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.5Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.6On account of these the wrath of God is coming.7In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.8But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.9Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices10and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.11Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.
Luke
20And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:"Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.21"Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied."Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.22"Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!23Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.24"But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.25"Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry."Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.26"Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the transformative power of living a life rooted in Christ. The passage from Colossians urges us to seek heavenly things, to mortify our sinful desires, and to clothe ourselves in the new man created in God's image. This is a call to internal transformation, where our old selves are stripped away, and we are renewed in Christ. The Gospel from Luke presents us with the Beatitudes, where Jesus challenges us to reevaluate our understanding of true happiness. He blesses those who are poor, hungry, and mourning, while warning those who are wealthy and complacent. This is a call to external transformation, where our societal norms are turned upside down, and we are called to live in a way that reflects God's values rather than the world's.
The connection between these readings lies in their emphasis on transformation. In Colossians, we are called to transform our inner lives by putting on the new self, while in Luke, we are called to transform our external circumstances by living out the Beatitudes. Together, they remind us that following Christ is not just about belief but about a radical change in how we live. This transformation is not just for our own sake but for the sake of others, as we are called to reflect Christ's love and justice in the world.
Applying this to our daily lives, we are challenged to examine where we are holding onto old patterns of sin and where we are clinging to worldly comfort. Are we allowing Christ to transform us, or are we resisting His call to renewal? Let us ask ourselves: Are we living as people who have been raised with Christ, seeking the things that are above? Are we living out the Beatitudes, blessing those who are marginalized and being a source of hope for those in need? The moral lesson here is clear: True happiness and fulfillment come not from the things of this world but from living a life transformed by Christ, seeking His kingdom, and reflecting His love in all we do.