Daily Readings - Fri Nov 15 2024

2 John

4I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father.5And now I ask you, dear lady--not as though I were writing you a new commandment, but the one we have had from the beginning--that we love one another.6And this is love, that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.7For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.8Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward.9Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.

Luke

26Just as it was in the days of Noah, so will it be in the days of the Son of Man.27They were eating and drinking and marrying and being given in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all.28Likewise, just as it was in the days of Lot--they were eating and drinking, buying and selling, planting and building,29but on the day when Lot went out from Sodom, fire and sulfur rained from heaven and destroyed them all--30so will it be on the day when the Son of Man is revealed.31On that day, let the one who is on the housetop, with his goods in the house, not come down to take them away, and likewise let the one who is in the field not turn back.32Remember Lot's wife.33Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.34I tell you, in that night there will be two in one bed. One will be taken and the other left.35There will be two women grinding together. One will be taken and the other left."36See Footnote37And they said to him, "Where, Lord?" He said to them, "Where the corpse is, there the vultures will gather."

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of fidelity, love, and preparedness. In the Second Letter of John, we hear a heartfelt exhortation to remain faithful to the commandment of love and to walk in the truth. John rejoices to see believers living according to God’s will but also warns against deceivers who reject the truth of Christ’s incarnation. He reminds us that love is not merely a feeling but a commitment to living according to God’s commandments. This letter emphasizes the importance of remaining rooted in the doctrine of Christ, for only then can we have true union with the Father and the Son. The Gospel from Luke presents a stark contrast between life as usual and the suddenness of God’s judgment. Jesus compares the days of Noah and Lot to the day when the Son of Man will be revealed. Just as the flood and fire destroyed those unprepared, so too will the Lord’s coming catch many off guard. Jesus warns against attachment to worldly possessions and comforts, urging us to be vigilant and detached. The imagery of one being taken and the other left behind reminds us that our ultimate destiny depends on our readiness to follow God without hesitation. The story of Lot’s wife, who looked back, serves as a caution against nostalgia for a life that is passing away. These readings call us to live with integrity and purpose. Like John, we are to love one another by walking in the truth of Christ’s teachings. Like those in Noah’s and Lot’s time, we are to be prepared for the unexpected, trusting in God’s plan rather than becoming complacent in our current way of life. In a world filled with distractions and temptations, we are reminded to keep our eyes fixed on Christ and to live in such a way that we are ready to meet him at any moment. Let us strive to remain faithful, to love without reserve, and to be prepared for the day when the Lord will reveal himself in glory.