Daily Readings - Fri Nov 18 2022
Revelation
8And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth.9And I went unto the angel, and said unto him, Give me the little book. And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up; and it shall make thy belly bitter, but it shall be in thy mouth sweet as honey.10And I took the little book out of the angel's hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey: and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter.11And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.
Luke
45And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;46Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.47And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him,48And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on the nature of God's message and our response to it. The first reading from Revelation presents John being instructed by an angel to eat a book, which is sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach. This act symbolizes the prophet's role: receiving God's word, which brings joy but also the burden of proclaiming truths that may be difficult to hear. The second reading from Luke depicts Jesus cleansing the temple, driving out merchants and money changers, and emphasizing that the temple should be a house of prayer. This act of cleansing is a prophetic stand against corruption and the misuse of sacred spaces.
Both readings highlight the dual nature of God's message. In Revelation, the sweetness of the book represents the comfort and grace of God's word, while its bitterness signifies the challenging truths it may carry. In Luke, Jesus' action is a call to integrity and reverence, showing that upholding what is sacred often requires confronting injustice. These readings are connected through the theme of prophetic witness—both John and Jesus are called to deliver God's message, even when it leads to discomfort or conflict.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to embrace the fullness of God's truth. Just as John consumed the book and Jesus cleansed the temple, we are called to receive God's word with openness and to live it out courageously. This means standing against injustice, even when it is inconvenient, and being willing to endure the bitterness that may come with faithfully following God's will. Let us strive to be temples of prayer, living in harmony with God's truth and reflecting His love and justice in the world.