Daily Readings - Thu Oct 08 2020
Galatians
1O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?2This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?3Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?4Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain.5He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Luke
5And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;6For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?7And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.8I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.9And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.10For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.11If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?12Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?13If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful messages that guide us in our spiritual journey. The first reading from Galatians reminds us that our relationship with God is rooted in faith, not in following the law. Paul expresses frustration that the Galatians are turning back to legalistic practices after experiencing the freedom of the Spirit. He emphasizes that the Spirit is received through faith, not through works, urging them to trust in God's grace.
The Gospel from Luke presents a parable about a persistent friend asking for bread, teaching us about the importance of relentless prayer. Jesus uses this story to illustrate that just as the persistent friend eventually receives what he needs, our persistent prayers will be heard by a loving Father. This parable is a beautiful reminder of God's goodness and His desire to give us what we need, even when we feel our prayers are going unanswered.
These readings connect through the themes of faith and persistence. Paul urges us to trust in God's grace, while Jesus teaches us to approach God with confidence and perseverance. In our daily lives, we are called to live by faith, trusting in God's plan, and to pray without losing heart, knowing that our loving Father desires to give us good gifts. May we embrace this truth, deepening our trust in God and persisting in prayer, confident in His love and provision.