Daily Readings - Sat Sep 11 2021
1 Timothy
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
43"For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit,44for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush.45The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.46"Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?47Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like:48he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.49But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great."
Sermon
The readings today remind us of the transformative power of God’s mercy and the importance of living a life rooted in faith. In the first reading from 1 Timothy, St. Paul humbly acknowledges himself as the foremost of sinners, yet he emphasizes that it was precisely through God’s mercy that he was transformed. This transformation was not just for his own sake but to serve as an example for others, showing that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace. The reading concludes with a beautiful doxology, praising God’s eternal glory and invisible nature, highlighting the majesty and mystery of the divine.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the connection between our hearts and our actions. He uses the metaphor of trees and their fruit to illustrate that the quality of our actions reflects the state of our hearts. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and an evil tree cannot bear good fruit. Jesus then challenges us to examine our relationship with His teachings. He distinguishes between those who merely call Him “Lord” and those who truly listen to and act on His words. The parable of the two builders drives this point home: the one who builds on rock (obedience to God’s will) endures life’s storms, while the one who builds on sand (disobedience or superficial faith) faces ruin.
These readings call us to reflect on the authenticity of our faith. Like St. Paul, we are all sinners in need of God’s mercy, but that mercy is not just a gift—it’s a call to transformation. Jesus invites us to move beyond superficial devotion and instead build our lives on the solid foundation of His teachings. In our daily lives, this means not just hearing the Word of God but also putting it into practice. Let us ask ourselves: Are our actions consistent with our faith? Are we building our lives on the rock of obedience to Christ, or are we settling for a shallow faith that cannot withstand life’s challenges? May we strive to live in such a way that the fruit of our lives reflects the goodness of God’s grace at work within us.