Daily Readings - Wed Sep 22 2021

⁵And at the evening sacrifice I rose from my fasting, with my garment and my cloak torn, and fell upon my knees and spread out my hands to the LORD my God,⁶saying:"O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens.⁷From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today.⁸But now for a brief moment favor has been shown by the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant and to give us a secure hold within his holy place, that our God may brighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our slavery.⁹For we are slaves. Yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to grant us some reviving to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judea and Jerusalem.

Luke

Chapter 9

¹And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases,²and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.³And he said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.⁴And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.⁵And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them."⁶And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of humility, trust in God, and the call to mission. In the first reading from Ezra, we encounter a moment of profound repentance and confession. Ezra, a leader of the post-exilic Jewish community, humbly acknowledges the sins of his people before God. He expresses deep sorrow for their failures, recognizing that their suffering and exile were consequences of their disobedience. Yet, even in the midst of affliction, Ezra holds onto hope, trusting that God’s mercy and faithfulness can restore and renew His people. This passage reminds us that true humility involves acknowledging our limitations and sins, while also trusting in God’s grace and providence. In the Gospel, Jesus sends out the Twelve Apostles with a radical mission. He instructs them to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal the sick, but He also tells them to take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no money, not even an extra tunic. This command is a call to complete trust in God’s providence. The Apostles are to rely not on their own resources but on the generosity of those they encounter. This teaching challenges us to let go of our attachment to material security and to embrace a life of simplicity and faith. It also reminds us that our mission as disciples is not about self-sufficiency but about dependence on God and openness to the needs of others. Both readings encourage us to live with humility and trust in God. Ezra’s prayer shows us that acknowledging our sins and limitations is the first step toward healing and restoration. The Gospel, on the other hand, calls us to step out in faith, trusting that God will provide for us as we serve others. In our daily lives, we are invited to embrace these virtues: to humbly recognize our need for God and to trust Him as we carry out our own mission of spreading love and hope to the world. Let us ask for the grace to live with humility and faith, knowing that God’s mercy and providence are always at work in our lives.