Daily Readings - Mon Oct 11 2021

¹Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,²Which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,)³Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh;⁴And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:⁵By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:⁶Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ:⁷To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke

Chapter 11

²⁹And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.³⁰For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.³¹The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation, and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.³²The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two profound messages that invite us to reflect on our faith and response to God's revelation. The first reading from Romans introduces Paul as a servant of Christ, called to spread the Gospel. He emphasizes Jesus as the Son of God, both in His humanity through David and His divinity through resurrection. Paul's mission to the Gentiles highlights the universal call to faith, greeting the Romans with grace and peace. The Gospel from Luke presents Jesus addressing the skepticism of His time. He criticizes the generation for seeking signs, referencing Jonah as the only sign they will receive. Jesus uses the examples of the queen of the South and the Ninevites to illustrate their responsiveness to God's message, contrasting it with the current generation's reluctance. He underscores that something greater than Jonah is present, urging repentance. Both readings remind us of the importance of faith and response to God's revelation. Like the queen and Nineveh, we should embrace God's message without demanding more signs. In our daily lives, let us remain open to God's presence, trusting in His revelation and living with faith and humility. The moral lesson is clear: repentance and faith are essential, and we must not let skepticism hinder our response to God's call.