Daily Readings - Mon Oct 24 2022
Ephesians
32Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
1Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children.2And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.3But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.4Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.5For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.7Therefore do not associate with them;8for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
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 are reminded of the transformative power of God’s love and the call to live as children of light. The first reading from Ephesians urges us to imitate God by living with kindness, mercy, and forgiveness. It warns against the corruption of sin and encourages us to walk in love, just as Christ loved us and sacrificed himself for us. The reading invites us to reject darkness and instead embrace the light of holiness, reflecting God’s goodness in our lives.
The Gospel from Luke presents a vivid contrast between rigid legalism and compassionate love. Jesus heals a woman bent over by a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years, despite the objections of the synagogue ruler who insists that healing should not happen on the Sabbath. Jesus exposes the hypocrisy of valuing rules over people, emphasizing that the Sabbath was made for humanity, not the other way around. His actions reveal that true faith is not about following rules but about living with mercy and compassion.
Together, these readings challenge us to reflect on how we live out our faith. Are we more focused on rules and appearances, or are we living as children of light, radiating God’s love and mercy? Let us ask ourselves: Do our words and actions bring healing and hope to others, or do they perpetuate division and darkness? May we, like Jesus, choose to be instruments of God’s grace, bringing light and freedom to those around us.