Daily Readings - Mon Oct 17 2022
Ephesians
1And you were dead in the trespasses and sins2in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience--3among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.4But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us,5even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved--6and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,7so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.8For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,9not a result of works, so that no one may boast.10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Luke
13Someone in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me."14But he said to him, "Man, who made me a judge or arbitrator over you?"15And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."16And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully,17and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?'18And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.19And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.'20But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?'21So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on the themes of grace, wealth, and the true nature of our relationship with God. The first reading from Ephesians reminds us that we are saved not by our own works, but by God’s grace. It emphasizes that our salvation is a gift, and we are called to live as God’s handiwork, created for good works. This passage encourages us to trust in God’s providence and to recognize that our worth is not measured by what we do, but by the love God has shown us in Christ.
The Gospel from Luke presents a stark contrast with the parable of the rich fool. A man, consumed by his wealth, builds larger barns to store his possessions, only to have his life demanded of him that very night. Jesus warns us against the dangers of greed and the illusion that our lives are secure because of what we own. The parable challenges us to examine our priorities and to recognize that true wealth lies in our relationship with God, not in material possessions.
Together, these readings remind us that our ultimate security and happiness do not come from what we accumulate, but from living in accordance with God’s will. We are called to trust in His grace, to live with gratitude for the gifts we have been given, and to use them in service to others. Let us reflect on our own lives and ask ourselves: Are we storing up treasures on earth, or are we building a treasure in heaven? May we strive to live with hearts that are rich in God, rather than consumed by the fleeting allure of this world.