Daily Readings - Fri Jun 05 2020
2 Timothy
10You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness,11my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra--which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.12Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,13while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it15and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.16All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,17that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
Mark
35And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, "How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David?36David himself, in the Holy Spirit, declared, "'The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.'37David himself calls him Lord. So how is he his son?" And the great throng heard him gladly.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful reflections on faith, identity, and the challenges of living as disciples of Christ. The first reading from 2 Timothy reminds us that following Christ comes with a cost. St. Paul writes about the inevitability of persecution for those who live a life of faith, yet he also offers hope, assuring us that the Lord rescues us from all trials. He emphasizes the importance of remaining rooted in the Scriptures, which have the power to instruct us in salvation and equip us for every good work. The second reading from Mark’s Gospel presents Jesus challenging the scribes’ understanding of the Messiah. By citing David’s psalm, Jesus highlights the paradox that the Messiah, though a descendant of David, is also David’s Lord, pointing to his divine nature. This exchange invites us to reflect on the depth of Christ’s identity and our own understanding of who he is.
Both readings call us to a deeper fidelity to the truth of God’s Word. In 2 Timothy, we are reminded that the Scriptures are not just ancient texts but living words that shape our lives and sustain us through trials. In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus challenges us to move beyond superficial understandings of faith and to grapple with the mystery of his divine and human nature. Together, these readings remind us that living as Christians requires both perseverance in the face of adversity and a commitment to understanding the richness of our faith.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How do we remain steadfast in our faith when faced with challenges? Do we turn to Scripture as a source of strength and guidance? And how deeply do we understand the identity of Jesus, who is both our brother in humanity and our Lord in divinity? May we allow these questions to draw us closer to Christ, embracing both the struggles and the joys of discipleship with courage and humility.