Daily Readings - Fri Oct 24 2025
Romans
18For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.19For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.20Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.21So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand.22For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,23but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members.24Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?25Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
Luke
54He also said to the crowds, "When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, 'A shower is coming.' And so it happens.55And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, 'There will be scorching heat,' and it happens.56You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?57"And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right?58As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison.59I tell you, you will never get out until you have paid the very last penny."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound reflections on the human condition and our relationship with God. The first reading from Romans 7:18-25a presents St. Paul’s deeply personal struggle with sin and his desire to do good. He confesses that despite his best intentions, he often finds himself doing the opposite of what he wants. This internal conflict reveals the universal human experience of being torn between good and evil. Paul ultimately finds hope in the grace of God through Jesus Christ, acknowledging that true freedom from sin comes only through Him.
The Gospel from Luke 12:54-59 shifts our focus from the internal struggle to the external signs of the times. Jesus criticizes the hypocrisy of those who can predict the weather but fail to recognize the spiritual signs around them. He urges them to discern the moment and settle their affairs before it is too late, using the parable of a man on his way to court. This teaching calls us to live with awareness and responsibility, recognizing that our choices have consequences and that true wisdom lies in seeking justice and reconciliation.
Both readings invite us to reflect on our own lives. Like Paul, we often struggle with our weaknesses and failures, but we are reminded that God’s grace is always available to us. Like the crowd in the Gospel, we are called to be attentive to the signs of our times and to live with integrity and discernment. Let us ask ourselves: Are we aware of the spiritual battles within us? Are we attentive to the ways we can grow closer to God and live more justly? Let us turn to God with humility, acknowledging our need for His help, and strive to live in a way that reflects His love and truth.