Daily Readings - Tue Sep 12 2023
Colossians
6Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.8See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.9For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,10and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.11In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,12having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.13And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,14by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.15He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
Luke
12In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.13And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles:14Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew,15and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot,16and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.17And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon,18who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.19And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are reminded of the profound truths of our faith and the transformative power of Christ in our lives. The first reading from Colossians urges us to live deeply rooted in Christ, avoiding the deceptive influences of the world. It emphasizes that in Christ, we are complete and have triumphed over all spiritual powers through His sacrifice on the cross. The second reading from Luke describes Jesus choosing the twelve apostles after a night of prayer and then healing many, showcasing His divine power and compassion.
Both readings highlight the centrality of Christ. While Colossians focuses on the spiritual reality of being in Christ, Luke illustrates the practical manifestation of His power and mission through the apostles and healing. This connection invites us to trust in Christ's power and to live as His disciples, grounded in faith amidst life's challenges.
As we reflect on these readings, we are called to be instruments of Christ's grace and healing in the world. Let us remain rooted in faith, trusting in His power to guide and transform us. May we, like the apostles, embrace our mission to share His love and be His hands and feet in the world, bringing light and hope to all we encounter.