Daily Readings - Tue Oct 01 2019
Zechariah
20Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities:21And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also.22Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD.23Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
Luke
51And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,52And sent messengers before his face: and they went, and entered into a village of the Samaritans, to make ready for him.53And they did not receive him, because his face was as though he would go to Jerusalem.54And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did?55But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of.56For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful visions of unity and compassion. The first reading from Zechariah paints a future where people from every nation and language will come together, united in their desire to seek the Lord. This prophecy speaks of a time when divisions will fade, and humanity will recognize that God is with us. The Gospel, however, presents a different scene. Jesus, on his way to Jerusalem, is rejected by the Samaritans, and his disciples, filled with indignation, want to call down fire to destroy them. But Jesus rebukes them, reminding them that he came not to destroy but to save.
These readings invite us to reflect on the tension between unity and division, between love and retaliation. Zechariah’s vision reminds us that God’s ultimate plan is one of universal reconciliation, where people from all walks of life will come together in peace. Yet, in the Gospel, we see how far we are from that vision when we allow anger and division to guide our actions. Jesus’ response to his disciples is a stark reminder that our calling is not to condemn but to save, not to destroy but to love.
As we apply these readings to our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Where do we see division and rejection in our world? In our communities? In our own hearts? Jesus shows us that the path to unity and reconciliation is not through retaliation or anger but through patience, compassion, and love. Let us strive to embody this spirit in our interactions with others, even when we face rejection or misunderstanding. By doing so, we become instruments of God’s peace, drawing people closer to him, just as Zechariah prophesied.