Daily Readings - Thu Sep 19 2024
1 Corinthians
1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:5And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:6After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.7After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.8And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.9For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.10But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.11Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
Luke
36And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.37And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,38And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.39Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.40And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.41There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.42And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?43Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.44And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.45Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.46My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.47Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.48And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.49And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?50And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
Sermon
The readings today remind us of the power of grace and the transformative nature of God’s love. In the first reading from 1 Corinthians, St. Paul emphasizes the core of the Gospel: Christ’s death for our sins and his resurrection on the third day. This is the foundation of our faith, the Good News that saves us. Paul humbly acknowledges his own unworthiness, having persecuted the Church, yet he recognizes that it is solely by God’s grace that he has become what he is. His words remind us that our faith is not about our own merits but about the boundless mercy of God.
In the Gospel, Luke presents a vivid contrast between the Pharisee and the sinful woman. The Pharisee, focused on outward appearances, judges the woman harshly, assuming that Jesus would not allow such a sinner to touch him. But Jesus sees the heart. The woman, overwhelmed by her sins, expresses her love and gratitude through her actions—washing his feet with tears and anointing them with ointment. Jesus forgives her sins, explaining that her great love is a response to the great forgiveness she has received. This story teaches us that true faith is not about self-righteousness but about recognizing our need for God’s mercy and responding with love.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own relationship with God. Like Paul, we must acknowledge our own weaknesses and sins, and like the woman, we must approach God with humility and love. The resurrection of Christ, celebrated in the first reading, is the ultimate expression of God’s love and forgiveness. As we go about our daily lives, let us remember that we are saved by grace, not by our own efforts. May we, like the woman, love much because we have been forgiven much, and may our faith lead us to lives of gratitude, compassion, and service to others.