Daily Readings - Sat Jun 01 2024

¹⁷But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.¹⁸They said to you, "In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions."¹⁹It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.²⁰But you, beloved, build yourselves up in your most holy faith; pray in the Holy Spirit;²¹keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.²²And have mercy on those who doubt;²³save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.²⁴Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,²⁵to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Mark

Chapter 11

²⁷And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him,²⁸and they said to him, "By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?"²⁹Jesus said to them, "I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.³⁰Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me."³¹And they discussed it with one another, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' he will say, 'Why then did you not believe him?'³²But shall we say, 'From man'?"--they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet.³³So they answered Jesus, "We do not know." And Jesus said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful messages that invite us to reflect on faith, authority, and our relationship with God. The first reading from Jude warns us about the dangers of false teachings and the importance of standing firm in our faith. Jude urges us to be mindful of the words of the apostles and to trust in God’s power to keep us from sin. The second reading from Mark’s Gospel presents Jesus being questioned by the religious leaders about His authority. Jesus responds by challenging them to consider the origin of John the Baptist’s baptism, leaving them in a dilemma that ultimately reveals their lack of faith. These readings remind us that true authority comes from God, and our faith must be rooted in Him. In a world filled with conflicting opinions and desires, we are called to discern what is truly of God. Like Jude, we must build ourselves up in faith, pray in the Holy Spirit, and keep ourselves in God’s love. Jesus’ exchange with the leaders teaches us that without faith, even the most learned among us can become stuck in uncertainty. We are invited to trust in God’s power and to live out our faith with courage and humility. As we apply these readings to our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Where do we place our trust? Are we rooted in God’s love, or are we swayed by the desires and opinions of the world? Let us strive to live as people of faith, discerning God’s will in our lives and trusting in His power to guide us. May we, like Jude, be mindful of the apostles’ teachings and, like Jesus, stand firm in our commitment to God’s truth, even in the face of challenges and uncertainties.