Daily Readings - Tue Sep 30 2025
Zechariah
20"Thus says the LORD of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities.21The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, 'Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD and to seek the LORD of hosts; I myself am going.'22Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD.23Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.'"
Luke
51When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.52And he sent messengers ahead of him, who went and entered a village of the Samaritans, to make preparations for him.53But the people did not receive him, because his face was set toward Jerusalem.54And when his disciples James and John saw it, they said, "Lord, do you want us to tell fire to come down from heaven and consume them?"55But he turned and rebuked them.56And they went on to another village.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the universal call to seek God and the importance of living as witnesses of His love. In the first reading from Zechariah, we hear a vision of a future where people from all nations and languages will come together to seek the Lord in Jerusalem. This prophecy speaks of a time when God’s presence will unite people across cultures and divisions, reminding us that His plan is one of unity and harmony. The image of ten men clinging to the hem of a Judean man underscores the desire for connection and the recognition that God is with His people.
In the Gospel, Luke presents a moment of tension as Jesus and His disciples encounter rejection in a Samaritan village. The disciples, feeling slighted, want to retaliate with fire from heaven, but Jesus rebukes them, reminding them that He came not to destroy but to save. This passage highlights the contrast between a spirit of vengeance and the mission of mercy that defines Jesus’ work. It also challenges us to examine our own reactions to rejection and whether they align with the spirit of love and forgiveness that Christ embodies.
These readings remind us that our faith is not just a personal relationship with God but also a call to live in a way that reflects His universal love. Like the people in Zechariah’s vision, we are called to seek God together, even in the face of differences. And like Jesus, we are invited to respond to rejection and hostility not with anger but with compassion and a commitment to saving lives. As we go about our daily lives, may we strive to be instruments of unity and reconciliation, living as witnesses to the God who is with us and who calls us to seek Him together.