Daily Readings - Mon Sep 04 2017
First Reading - 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18
1 Thessalonians
But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Gospel - Luke 4.16-30
Luke
And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.But he passing through the midst of them went his way,
Sermon
In today's readings, we find messages of hope and the challenges of living out our faith. The first reading from 1 Thessalonians offers comfort to those grieving, reminding us that through our belief in Jesus's resurrection, we have hope. Paul reassures us that when Jesus returns, the deceased in Christ will rise first, followed by the living, all united with the Lord. This passage emphasizes the consolation and hope that our faith provides, urging us to support one another with these reassuring words.
The Gospel from Luke presents Jesus in his hometown synagogue, where he proclaims the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, outlining his mission to the marginalized. However, this message is met with hostility, as the crowd rejects him, even attempting violence. Jesus illustrates that prophets often face rejection at home, using examples of Elijah and Elisha helping outsiders. This highlights the theme of acceptance and the challenges of fulfilling one's mission, even in the face of adversity.
These readings connect through the themes of hope and perseverance. Despite the rejection Jesus faced, he remained steadfast in his mission, embodying the hope we have in resurrection. In our daily lives, we may encounter similar challenges, whether in sharing our faith or standing up for what is right. The readings encourage us to hold onto hope, even when faced with adversity, and to trust in God's plan. Let us reflect on how we can live out our faith with resilience and hope, inspired by Jesus's example, and support one another in our journey of faith.