Daily Readings - Mon Oct 16 2023

¹Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God,²which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures,³concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh⁴and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,⁵through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,⁶including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ,⁷To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke

Chapter 11

²⁹When the crowds were increasing, he began to say, "This generation is an evil generation. It seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.³⁰For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation.³¹The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here.³²The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, something greater than Jonah is here.

Sermon

Dear friends in Christ, Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the essence of faith and our response to God’s call. In the first reading from Romans, Paul introduces himself as a servant of Christ, called to spread the Gospel. He emphasizes Jesus as the Son of God, born from David’s lineage, and through whom we receive grace. This passage sets the foundation of Paul’s mission, rooted in Scripture and the divine plan of salvation. In the Gospel, Luke presents Jesus addressing a crowd, criticizing their demand for signs. Jesus refers to the sign of Jonah, highlighting how the people of Nineveh repented upon Jonah’s preaching. This serves as a call to recognize God’s presence in our lives without needing constant signs, trusting in His Word. These readings remind us to embrace faith actively. Like the people of Nineveh, we are called to repent and respond to God’s message. In our daily lives, this means trusting God without needing proofs, being open to His grace, and living faithfully. Let us reflect on our own response to God’s call, seeking to deepen our faith and live in accordance with His will. May we find strength in His Word and grace, guiding us on our journey of faith.