Daily Readings - Mon Aug 30 2021

¹³But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.¹⁵For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.¹⁸Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Luke

Chapter 4

¹⁶And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.¹⁷And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,¹⁸The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,¹⁹To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.²⁰And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.²¹And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.²²And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?²³And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.²⁴And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.²⁵But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;²⁶But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.²⁷And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.²⁸And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,²⁹And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.³⁰But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

Sermon

In today's readings, we find a powerful message of hope and mission. The first reading from 1 Thessalonians offers comfort to those grieving, assuring them that through faith in Jesus' resurrection, they can find solace. It reminds us that our belief in eternal life with Christ brings hope, even in the face of death. The Gospel from Luke presents Jesus in his hometown synagogue, where he proclaims the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, emphasizing his mission to the marginalized. However, this message is met with resistance, leading to an attempt on his life, yet he escapes unharmed. The context of 1 Thessalonians is a letter written to early Christians, addressing their concerns about the resurrection and the return of Jesus. It provides comfort and reassurance, reinforcing their faith. In Luke, Jesus' ministry is just beginning, and this scene highlights the rejection he faces, a common fate for prophets. This rejection underscores the challenges of living out one's faith and the mission of bringing God's message to all. These readings connect through the themes of hope and mission. The hope from Thessalonians fuels the courage needed for the mission in Luke. Despite rejection, Jesus persists, showing us that our faith should lead us to embrace God's call, even when faced with adversity. Applying this to daily life, we are reminded to hold onto hope, especially in difficult times. Like the early Christians, we can find comfort in our faith. We are also called to live out the Gospel, reaching out to those on the margins, even if it means facing challenges or rejection. This requires perseverance and trust in God's plan. In reflection, today's readings inspire us to embrace both the hope and the mission. We are to live with the assurance of eternal life and to actively share God's love and justice. Let us strive to embody this hope and mission, trusting in God's guidance and strength.