Daily Readings - Sun Sep 15 2024
Isaiah
5The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward.6I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.7But the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.8He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me.9Behold, the Lord GOD helps me; who will declare me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up.
James
14What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?15If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,16and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?17So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.18But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Mark
27And Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?"28And they told him, "John the Baptist; and others say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets."29And he asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Christ."30And he strictly charged them to tell no one about him.31And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again.32And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.33But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man."34And he called to him the crowd with his disciples and said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.35For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful messages about faith, trust, and discipleship. The first reading from Isaiah portrays a figure who, despite suffering and humiliation, remains steadfast in his trust in God. This figure, often seen as a prefiguration of Christ, embodies the virtue of perseverance in the face of adversity. The second reading from James emphasizes the importance of living out our faith through concrete actions, warning that faith without works is dead. Finally, the Gospel from Mark presents a pivotal moment in the ministry of Jesus, where Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ, but then struggles to accept the reality of the cross. Jesus responds by teaching that true discipleship requires self-denial and taking up one’s cross.
These readings are deeply interconnected. Isaiah’s trust in God, even in the face of suffering, foreshadows Jesus’ own acceptance of his mission, which includes the cross. James’ emphasis on works as an expression of faith complements Jesus’ teaching on the necessity of self-denial and sacrifice. Together, they remind us that faith is not merely an intellectual assent or emotional feeling but a commitment to living out God’s will in our lives. Just as Isaiah set his face “like a hard stone” in trust, and just as Jesus embraced the cross, so too are we called to embrace our own crosses in faith and trust in God.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to examine how we live out our faith. Do we merely profess faith with our lips, or do we demonstrate it through our actions? Are we willing to embrace the sacrifices that come with following Christ? Like Peter, we may struggle with the idea of suffering, but Jesus reminds us that the path to true life is through self-denial and love. Let us ask ourselves: Am I trusting God even when the road ahead seems difficult? Am I putting my faith into practice by serving others and living out the Gospel? May we, like Isaiah, set our faces firmly toward God, trusting in His plan, and may our faith be made visible through our works of love and sacrifice.