Daily Readings - Sun Sep 15 2019

Exodus

7And the LORD said to Moses, "Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.8They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!'"9And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.10Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you."11But Moses implored the LORD his God and said, "O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?13Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.'"14And the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.

1 Timothy

12I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service,13though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,14and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.15The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.16But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.17To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

Luke

1Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him.2And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, "This man receives sinners and eats with them."3So he told them this parable:4"What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?5And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.'7Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.8"Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and seek diligently until she finds it?9And when she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin that I had lost.'10Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Sermon

The readings today remind us of God’s boundless mercy and love for sinners, as well as his desire to seek out those who have wandered away from him. In the first reading from Exodus, Moses intercedes for the Israelites after they turn to idolatry by worshiping the golden calf. Despite their sin, God’s anger is calmed by Moses’ prayer, showing that even in our failures, God’s mercy triumphs. The second reading from 1 Timothy highlights Paul’s personal testimony of receiving God’s mercy despite his past as a persecutor of Christians. He humbly acknowledges that he was once a sinner but was transformed by God’s grace, emphasizing that Christ came to save sinners. The Gospel from Luke uses two parables—the lost sheep and the lost coin—to illustrate God’s joy in seeking and finding those who are lost. These parables challenge us to reflect on our own relationship with God and to see ourselves as both sinners in need of mercy and as agents of God’s love in the world. These readings are deeply connected by the theme of divine mercy and the call to repentance. The Exodus story shows God’s willingness to forgive his people even when they fail, while Paul’s testimony in 1 Timothy reminds us that none of us are beyond the reach of God’s grace. The parables in Luke’s Gospel extend this idea, teaching us that God actively seeks out the lost and rejoices when they return to him. Together, these readings invite us to reflect on our own sinfulness and to trust in God’s love, which is always ready to welcome us back. They also remind us that we are called to imitate God’s mercy by seeking out and loving those who feel lost or marginalized. In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to approach God with humility and openness, acknowledging our sins and trusting in his forgiveness. They also call us to be instruments of God’s mercy in the lives of others—whether through a kind word, a listening ear, or a willingness to forgive. Let us remember that we are all sinners in need of God’s grace, and that the greatest joy is not in being righteous but in repenting and returning to the Father’s love. May we, like Moses and Paul, intercede for others and share in the joy of God’s mercy, knowing that we are all part of his flock, his treasure, and his beloved children.