Daily Readings - Fri Sep 03 2021
Colossians
15Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:16For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:17And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.18And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.19For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;20And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Luke
33And they said unto him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but thine eat and drink?34And he said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them?35But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.36And he spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.37And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish.38But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.39No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound truths about Jesus Christ and the nature of His mission. The first reading from Colossians presents Jesus as the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, and the head of the Church. This passage emphasizes Christ’s supremacy and role in creation and redemption. The Gospel from Luke, on the other hand, offers a practical lesson about the newness of life in Christ. Jesus responds to criticism about His disciples’ lack of fasting by using parables of the patch, wineskins, and wine, highlighting the incompatibility of old practices with the new life He brings.
The context of these readings is crucial. Colossians was written to a church facing heresies that diminished Christ’s divinity and role in creation. Paul’s emphasis on Christ’s primacy serves to correct such errors. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus addresses critics who are tied to old religious practices, unable to embrace the freedom and joy of the Kingdom He proclaims. Together, these readings remind us that Jesus is both the foundation of all existence and the source of new life that cannot be confined by old ways of thinking or living.
As we apply these readings to our daily lives, we are invited to reflect on our openness to the newness of life in Christ. Jesus calls us to embrace the freedom and joy of the Gospel, rather than clinging to outdated practices or mindsets that stifle growth. The moral lesson here is clear: our faith must be fresh and vibrant, like new wine in new wineskins. We are called to trust in Christ’s transformative power and to live in a way that reflects the renewal He brings to our hearts and lives. Let us, therefore, seek to live as people who are open to the new things God is doing, trusting that Jesus is always the source of true life and renewal.