Daily Readings - Mon Sep 05 2022

1 Corinthians

1It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.2And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.3For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,4In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,5To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.6Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?7Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:8Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Luke

6And it came to pass also on another sabbath, that he entered into the synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered.7And the scribes and Pharisees watched him, whether he would heal on the sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against him.8But he knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth.9Then said Jesus unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?10And looking round about upon them all, he said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other.11And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to Jesus.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the balance between upholding moral standards and showing compassion. In the first reading from 1 Corinthians, Paul addresses a grave moral failing within the Corinthian community—a case of incest that has gone unaddressed. He calls for the community to act decisively, not out of malice, but to preserve the spiritual health of the Body of Christ. He warns that sin, like leaven, can spread and corrupt the entire community if not addressed. This passage emphasizes the importance of accountability and the need to root out sin, not to punish, but to restore and protect the integrity of the community. In the Gospel, Luke presents a complementary perspective. Jesus, faced with a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, challenges the Pharisees’ rigid adherence to the law. While the Pharisees are focused on whether healing on the Sabbath is lawful, Jesus asks a deeper question: “Is it lawful to do good or to do evil on the Sabbath?” By healing the man, Jesus demonstrates that compassion and the restoration of human dignity must take precedence over legalistic interpretations of the law. This passage reminds us that our faith is not about rules for their own sake, but about living out God’s love and mercy in the world. Together, these readings call us to discern when to stand firm against sin and when to show compassion. In our daily lives, we are often faced with similar tensions—between judgment and mercy, between accountability and forgiveness. The readings remind us that true holiness is not about self-righteousness or legalism, but about living in a way that reflects God’s love and justice. May we strive to be communities that both uphold the truth and embody the compassion of Christ, allowing His love to transform us and guide us in all we do.