Daily Readings - Thu Oct 15 2020
Ephesians
1Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:2Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:4According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:5Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,6To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.7In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;8Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;9Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:10That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
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
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful reflections on God’s plan for humanity and the call to live out our faith authentically. The first reading from Ephesians reminds us of the abundant blessings God has poured out upon us in Christ. Paul writes that before the foundation of the world, God chose us to be holy and blameless in his sight, predestining us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ. This passage emphasizes God’s eternal plan of love and grace, which culminates in the redemption we have through the blood of Christ. It is a beautiful reminder of our identity as beloved children of God and the profound wisdom of his will to unite all things in Christ.
The Gospel from Luke presents a stark contrast to this divine plan of love. Jesus addresses the Pharisees, criticizing them for honoring the prophets with tombs while rejecting the message of the prophets—and ultimately, the message of Jesus himself. He condemns their hypocrisy, pointing out that while they claim to reverence the prophets of old, they are complicit in the same spirit of rejection and violence that led to the prophets’ deaths. Jesus also rebukes the lawyers for taking away the key of knowledge, preventing others from entering the kingdom while refusing to enter themselves. This passage serves as a warning against religious hypocrisy and the dangers of knowledge without humility or action.
Together, these readings call us to reflect on how we live out our faith. The Ephesians passage invites us to embrace our identity as beloved and blessed children of God, while the Gospel challenges us to examine whether our words and actions align with the truth of God’s love. Are we living as true followers of Christ, or are we like the Pharisees, more concerned with appearances than with the substance of faith? Let us ask ourselves: Do we use our knowledge and gifts to build up others, or do we hoard them? Do we recognize the grace God has given us, or do we take it for granted?
As we go about our daily lives, let us strive to live with integrity and humility, mindful of the great love God has shown us. May we not only hear the Word of God but also put it into practice, allowing the grace of Christ to transform us and guide us in all we do. In this way, we can truly honor God and fulfill our calling as his children.