Daily Readings - Thu Oct 19 2017
First Reading - Romans 3.21-30
Romans
21But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:25Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.27Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.29Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:30Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
Gospel - Luke 11.47-54
Luke
47Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.48Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.49Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:50That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;51From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.52Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.53And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things:54Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the relationship between grace, faith, and our response to God’s justice. In the first reading from Romans, St. Paul explains that God’s justice is revealed not through the law or works, but through faith in Jesus Christ. He emphasizes that all people, Jews and Gentiles alike, are justified by faith, and that no one can boast of their own merits before God. This is a profound reminder that salvation is a gift of God’s grace, not something we earn.
In the Gospel, Jesus addresses the Pharisees, criticizing them for honoring the prophets with tombs while rejecting the prophets’ message, including his own. He condemns their hypocrisy and their failure to recognize the justice of God in their midst. Jesus also rebukes them for hindering others from entering the Kingdom of God, highlighting the danger of religious practices that prioritize appearances over true conversion. Together, these readings challenge us to examine our own relationship with God’s justice and grace.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to humility and authenticity. Like the Pharisees, we can sometimes focus on outward appearances or religious rituals while neglecting the deeper call to faith and conversion. St. Paul reminds us that true justice comes from God’s grace, not our own efforts. Let us ask ourselves: Do we accept God’s gift of salvation with gratitude and humility? Are we allowing his grace to transform our hearts and actions? May we not hinder others from encountering God’s love, but instead, through our faith and lives, help them to find their way to him.