Daily Readings - Thu Sep 26 2024
Revelation
9After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,10and crying out with a loud voice, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!"11And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,12saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen."13Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, "Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?"14I said to him, "Sir, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.15"Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.16They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.17For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
2 Corinthians
7But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.8We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;10always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.11For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.12So death is at work in us, but life in you.13Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak,14knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence.15For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
Gospel - Luke 9.23-26 or John 12.24-26
Luke
23And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.24For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.25For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?26For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
John
24Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.25Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.26If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the ultimate hope that lies before us and the path we must take to reach it. The first reading from Revelation paints a vivid picture of the heavenly Jerusalem, where a great multitude from every nation stands before the throne of God and the Lamb, clothed in white robes. These are the ones who have endured great tribulation but have been purified by the blood of the Lamb. They worship God unceasingly, and the Lamb shepherds them, leading them to the waters of life. This vision is a glimpse of the eternal life that awaits those who remain faithful through trials.
The second reading from 2 Corinthians provides the context for our present journey. St. Paul writes about the paradox of carrying the treasure of God’s grace in fragile, earthen vessels. Though we face tribulations, hardships, and persecutions, these do not define us. Instead, they reveal the power of God at work in us. Paul emphasizes that our suffering is not in vain; it allows the life of Christ to shine through us. Even as death is at work in us, the Spirit of God brings life to others through our faith and witness. This is the heart of Christian discipleship: trusting that God’s grace will abound even in our weakness.
In the Gospel, Jesus calls us to embrace this path of discipleship with courage and humility. He tells us that following him requires denying ourselves, taking up our cross daily, and losing our lives for his sake. This is not a call to self-destruction but to self-surrender. Jesus warns us that clinging to our own lives and desires will lead to loss, while surrendering to him will lead to true life. He also reminds us that our witness to him matters; if we are ashamed of him now, he will be ashamed of us when he comes in glory.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own journey of faith. Are we willing to endure trials and hardships for the sake of Christ? Do we trust that God’s power is at work even in our weakness? Let us remember that the ultimate goal of our lives is not comfort or success, but to stand before the throne of God, clothed in the purity of his grace, worshiping him without end. May we embrace our crosses with courage, knowing that they lead us to eternal life, and may we never be ashamed to witness to the love and truth of Christ in our daily lives.