Daily Readings - Tue Aug 31 2021
1 Thessalonians
1Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you.2For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.3While people are saying, "There is peace and security," then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.4But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.5For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.6So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.9For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,10who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him.11Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
Luke
31And he went down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee. And he was teaching them on the Sabbath,32and they were astonished at his teaching, for his word possessed authority.33And in the synagogue there was a man who had the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice,34"Ha! What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are--the Holy One of God."35But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him down in their midst, he came out of him, having done him no harm.36And they were all amazed and said to one another, "What is this word? For with authority and power he commands the unclean spirits, and they come out!"37And reports about him went out into every place in the surrounding region.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of God’s authority and our call to live as children of light. In the first reading from 1 Thessalonians, St. Paul reminds us that the day of the Lord will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. He urges us to stay vigilant and sober, not living in darkness but as sons and daughters of light. This passage emphasizes the importance of being prepared for the Lord’s return, not out of fear, but out of trust in God’s plan and our union with Christ. The second reading transitions seamlessly into the Gospel, where we see Jesus exercising His divine authority by casting out an unclean spirit. The people are astonished not only by His teaching but by the power with which He commands the demons to depart. This scene underscores the reality of spiritual warfare and the triumph of God’s power over evil.
These readings are deeply connected. Both remind us that our lives are not governed by chance or darkness but by the light of Christ. In 1 Thessalonians, Paul calls us to live with purpose and hope, knowing that God has not destined us for wrath but for salvation. In the Gospel, Jesus demonstrates His authority over the forces of darkness, showing us that He is the Holy One of God. Together, they invite us to trust in God’s power and to live in a way that reflects our identity as children of light.
How do these readings apply to our daily lives? First, they remind us to stay vigilant in our faith, not allowing ourselves to be caught off guard by the challenges of life. We are called to live with sobriety and intentionality, trusting that God is always at work, even when we cannot see it. Second, they invite us to rely on Christ’s authority in our lives. Just as Jesus freed the man from the demon, He desires to free us from the spiritual bondages that hold us back. Finally, these readings call us to live as witnesses of God’s light in a world often shrouded in darkness. May we, like the early Christians, console and build one another up, living with hope and confidence in the Lord who has saved us.