Daily Readings - Sun Oct 16 2022
Exodus
8Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim.9So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand."10So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill.11Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed.12But Moses' hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun.13And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.
2 Timothy
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.
Luke
1And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart.2He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man.3And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.'4For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor respect man,5yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.'"6And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says.7And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?8I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"
Sermon
The readings today remind us of the power of faith, persistence, and trust in God’s providence. In the first reading from Exodus, Moses, with the help of Aaron and Hur, keeps his hands raised in prayer as Joshua battles Amalek. This story shows how faith and perseverance, even in the face of weariness, lead to victory. The second reading from 2 Timothy emphasizes the importance of holding fast to the Scriptures, which guide us toward salvation and equip us for every good work. Finally, the Gospel parable of the persistent widow teaches us to pray without ceasing, trusting that God, unlike the unjust judge, will hear and respond to our cries.
These readings are interconnected in their call to trust in God’s faithfulness. Moses’ raised hands symbolize prayer and reliance on God’s power, while the widow’s persistence reflects the kind of unrelenting faith Jesus calls us to. The passage from 2 Timothy reminds us that Scripture is our foundation, guiding us in living out this faith. Together, they encourage us to remain steadfast, even in the face of challenges, knowing that God will ultimately vindicate His people.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to embrace a life of prayer and trust. Like Moses, we may grow weary, but with the support of others and our eyes fixed on God, we can endure. Like the widow, we must not lose heart but continue to bring our needs before God, trusting in His justice and love. And like Timothy, we must ground ourselves in Scripture, allowing it to shape our thoughts, words, and actions. Let us, then, live with persistent faith, knowing that God hears us and will bring about His will in His time.