Daily Readings - Thu Oct 24 2024
Ephesians
13So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory.14For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,15from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,16that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love,18may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,19and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.20Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Luke
49"I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled!50I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!51Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.52For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three.53They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the transformative power of God’s love and the challenges that come with living out our faith. In the first reading from Ephesians, St. Paul offers a heartfelt prayer for the believers, asking that they be strengthened by the Spirit and rooted in faith and love. He longs for them to grasp the immense depth of Christ’s love and to be filled with the fullness of God. This prayer, born out of Paul’s own sufferings, expresses his deep concern for the unity and spiritual growth of the early Christian community.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of the fire he has come to cast upon the earth, a fire that will bring division rather than peace. He describes how even within families, his message will set people against one another. This passage is often misunderstood, but it highlights the radical nature of the Gospel. Jesus is not advocating for conflict, but he is warning us that living according to his teachings will often challenge the status quo and require us to make difficult choices. True discipleship can lead to tension, even among those closest to us, as it calls us to prioritize God’s will above all else.
These readings remind us that following Christ is not a path of comfort or ease. It demands courage, sacrifice, and a willingness to stand firm in our faith, even when it leads to division. Yet, as St. Paul’s prayer makes clear, this journey is not solitary. We are united in Christ, and it is through his love that we find strength and purpose. Let us ask ourselves: Are we willing to embrace the challenges of living the Gospel? Are we open to being transformed by the fire of God’s love? May we, like St. Paul, pray for the grace to be rooted in faith and love, and may we, like Jesus, remain steadfast in our commitment to the truth, even when it demands great sacrifice.