Daily Readings - Fri Oct 27 2023
Romans
18For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.19For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.20Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.21So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.22For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,23but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.24Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?25Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
Luke
54He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, 'A shower is coming.' And so it happens.55And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There will be scorching heat,' and it happens.56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?57"And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?58As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison.59I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the human condition and our relationship with God. In the first reading from Romans, Paul describes the internal struggle we all face between good and evil. He admits that even though he wants to do what is right, he often finds himself doing the opposite. This tension within him reveals the deeper truth of our fallen nature: sin dwells within us, and we are powerless to overcome it on our own. Paul’s cry, “Who will deliver me from this body of death?” is a universal human lament, acknowledging our need for salvation.
In the Gospel, Jesus challenges us to discern the signs of the times and to judge what is just. He criticizes the hypocrisy of those who can read the weather but fail to recognize the spiritual realities around them. Jesus then tells a parable about being prepared to settle disputes before they escalate, warning that if we do not resolve our conflicts here and now, we risk being trapped in a spiritual prison from which we cannot escape. This teaching calls us to be vigilant and proactive in our spiritual lives, to seek reconciliation, and to live with integrity.
Together, these readings remind us that the struggle between good and evil is real, but it is not a battle we can win by ourselves. Paul’s honesty about his own weakness points us to the grace of God, which alone can free us from the power of sin. Jesus’ call to discernment and justice invites us to live with awareness and responsibility, seeking to align our lives with God’s will. Let us ask for the grace to recognize our own struggles, to turn to God for help, and to live in a way that reflects the justice and mercy of Christ.