Daily Readings - Thu Aug 31 2023
1 Thessalonians
7for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith.8For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.9For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God,10as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?11Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you,12and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you,13so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
Matthew
42Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.43But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into.44Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.45"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?46Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.47Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.48But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,'49and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards,50the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know51and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we hear St. Paul expressing his deep joy and gratitude for the faith of the Thessalonians, despite their trials and tribulations. He reminds them that their perseverance in faith brings him consolation and strengthens his own resolve to pray for them. Paul longs to see them again to complete what may be lacking in their faith, and he asks God to increase their love for one another and for all people. This passage highlights Paul’s profound care for his spiritual children and his desire for their holiness and steadfastness in the Lord.
The Gospel reading from Matthew presents Jesus teaching His disciples about the importance of being vigilant and prepared for His return. Using the parable of the servants, Jesus emphasizes the need for faithfulness and responsibility. The faithful servant who carries out his duties diligently is blessed, while the one who becomes complacent and neglects his responsibilities will face judgment. Jesus warns that He will return at an unexpected hour, and we must be ready, living in such a way that we are found doing His will when He comes.
These readings remind us that our faith is not a passive reality but an active way of life. Just as Paul prayed for the Thessalonians to grow in holiness, we too are called to strive for sanctity in our daily lives. The Gospel urges us to remain vigilant and faithful, recognizing that our time on this earth is short and that we will be held accountable for how we live. Let us ask the Lord to help us remain steadfast in our commitment to Him, to grow in love for one another, and to be prepared to meet Him whenever He comes. May we live each day with purpose and integrity, knowing that our actions have eternal consequences.