Daily Readings - Wed Sep 18 2019
1 Timothy
14I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that,15if I delay, you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, a pillar and buttress of truth.16Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of godliness: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit, seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
Luke
31"To what then shall I compare the people of this generation, and what are they like?32They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling to one another, "'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not weep.'33For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'34The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!'35Yet wisdom is justified by all her children."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of the Church and the challenges of living a life of integrity in a world often divided by conflicting expectations. In the first reading from 1 Timothy, we are reminded that the Church is the "pillar and foundation of truth," a community called to uphold and live out the mystery of God’s plan of salvation. This mystery, revealed in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, and preached to the Gentiles, is the heart of our faith. It is a truth that transcends human understanding and yet is lived out in the concrete realities of our lives.
In the Gospel, Jesus laments the inconsistency of those who refuse to be satisfied—neither by the austerity of John the Baptist nor by his own openness to dining with sinners. This critique speaks to a deeper truth: the human tendency to judge others based on our own narrow expectations rather than embracing the wisdom of God. Just as John and Jesus were misunderstood, we too may face criticism when we try to live out our faith in a way that doesn’t fit neatly into the world’s categories. Yet, Jesus assures us that true wisdom is vindicated by its fruits, not by the opinions of others.
As we apply these readings to our daily lives, we are called to embody the mystery of God’s truth with integrity. This means being a people of faith who do not waver in the face of criticism or changing expectations. Like the Church, we are to be a pillar of truth, not by our own strength, but by living out the mystery of God’s love in our actions. Let us trust in the wisdom of God, even when the world around us seems inconsistent or judgmental. May we, like John and Jesus, remain steadfast in our commitment to the truth, knowing that it is not our approval by others, but our fidelity to God’s plan, that truly matters.