Daily Readings - Wed Sep 11 2019
Colossians
1If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.2Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.3For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.4When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.5Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:6For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:7In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.8But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:11Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all.
Luke
20And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.21Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.22Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.23Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.24But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.25Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.26Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the transformative power of living a life rooted in Christ. The passage from Colossians urges us to seek heavenly things, to mortify our sinful desires, and to clothe ourselves in the new man created in God's image. This is a call to internal transformation, where our old selves are stripped away, and we are renewed in Christ. The Gospel from Luke presents us with the Beatitudes, where Jesus challenges us to reevaluate our understanding of true happiness. He blesses those who are poor, hungry, and mourning, while warning those who are wealthy and complacent. This is a call to external transformation, where our societal norms are turned upside down, and we are called to live in a way that reflects God's values rather than the world's.
The connection between these readings lies in their emphasis on transformation. In Colossians, we are called to transform our inner lives by putting on the new self, while in Luke, we are called to transform our external circumstances by living out the Beatitudes. Together, they remind us that following Christ is not just about belief but about a radical change in how we live. This transformation is not just for our own sake but for the sake of others, as we are called to reflect Christ's love and justice in the world.
Applying this to our daily lives, we are challenged to examine where we are holding onto old patterns of sin and where we are clinging to worldly comfort. Are we allowing Christ to transform us, or are we resisting His call to renewal? Let us ask ourselves: Are we living as people who have been raised with Christ, seeking the things that are above? Are we living out the Beatitudes, blessing those who are marginalized and being a source of hope for those in need? The moral lesson here is clear: True happiness and fulfillment come not from the things of this world but from living a life transformed by Christ, seeking His kingdom, and reflecting His love in all we do.