Daily Readings - Mon Oct 25 2021
Romans
11If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.12So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh.13For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.14For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.15For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, "Abba! Father!"16The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,17and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
Luke
10Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath.11And there was a woman who had had a disabling spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not fully straighten herself.12When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, "Woman, you are freed from your disability."13And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God.14But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, "There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day."15Then the Lord answered him, "You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it?16And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?"17As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages of liberation and the transformative power of God's Spirit. The first reading from Romans reminds us that through the Spirit of God, we are no longer bound by the flesh but are called to live as children of God, heirs to eternal life. This Spirit not only gives us life but also adopts us into God's family, where we can confidently call Him "Abba, Father." The second reading from Luke's Gospel illustrates this liberation through the story of a woman healed by Jesus on the Sabbath. Despite the objections of the synagogue leaders, Jesus emphasizes that freedom from suffering is a divine priority, even on the Sabbath.
The connection between these readings lies in their focus on true freedom. In Romans, this freedom is from the slavery of sin and death, while in Luke, it is freedom from physical and spiritual bondage. Both readings challenge us to recognize that God's Spirit is always at work, bringing life and wholeness. The woman's healing on the Sabbath underscores Jesus' mission to free us from all forms of captivity, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. This mirrors the Romans passage, where the Spirit's power leads to a life of sonship and inheritance.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Where am I still held captive? Is it by fear, sin, or doubt? The readings invite us to trust in God's power to transform and liberate us. Just as the woman was healed and glorified God, we too can experience the Spirit's work in our lives. Let us embrace our identity as children of God and live in the freedom that comes from His Spirit. In doing so, we become partakers of His glory, both now and in eternity.