Daily Readings - Wed Sep 24 2025

⁵And at the evening sacrifice I rose from my fasting, with my garment and my cloak torn, and fell upon my knees and spread out my hands to the LORD my God,⁶saying:"O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens.⁷From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today.⁸But now for a brief moment favor has been shown by the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant and to give us a secure hold within his holy place, that our God may brighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our slavery.⁹For we are slaves. Yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to grant us some reviving to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judea and Jerusalem.

Luke

Chapter 9

¹And he called the twelve together and gave them power and authority over all demons and to cure diseases,²and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal.³And he said to them, "Take nothing for your journey, no staff, nor bag, nor bread, nor money; and do not have two tunics.⁴And whatever house you enter, stay there, and from there depart.⁵And wherever they do not receive you, when you leave that town shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them."⁶And they departed and went through the villages, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter two profound expressions of faith and trust in God. The first reading from Ezra 9:5-9 presents Ezra’s heartfelt prayer, acknowledging the sins of his people and expressing deep humility. Ezra recognizes the mercy of God, who, despite their transgressions, has allowed a remnant to survive and the Temple to be rebuilt. This passage underscores themes of repentance, collective guilt, and trust in divine mercy. The Gospel from Luke 9:1-6 shifts our focus to Jesus sending out the twelve apostles, empowering them to heal and preach. Jesus instructs them to travel lightly, relying on the kindness of others, and to move on if their message is rejected. This passage emphasizes trust in God’s providence, simplicity, and bold missionary work, highlighting the importance of faith and humility in spreading the Kingdom of God. Both readings invite us to reflect on our trust in God. Like Ezra, we must acknowledge our sins and humbly seek God’s mercy. Like the apostles, we are called to live simply and trust in God’s providence as we share our faith with others. In our daily lives, let us embrace humility, acknowledge our shortcomings, and trust in God’s grace. May we, like the apostles, be bold in our faith, living with simplicity and reliance on God, spreading His love and mercy to all we meet.