Daily Readings - Mon Oct 07 2024

⁶I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:⁷Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.⁸But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.⁹As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.¹⁰For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.¹¹But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.¹²For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Luke

Chapter 10

²⁵And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?²⁶He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?²⁷And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.²⁸And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.²⁹But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?³⁰And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.³¹And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.³²And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.³³But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,³⁴And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him.³⁵And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.³⁶Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?³⁷And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we are reminded of the essence of our faith and the call to live it out with authenticity and compassion. The first reading from Galatians highlights Paul’s concern for the community that has been swayed by false teachings. He emphasizes the purity of the Gospel, which he received through divine revelation, urging the Galatians to remain steadfast and not be misled by distortions of the truth. This serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of grounding our faith in the authentic teachings of Christ. The Gospel from Luke presents the parable of the Good Samaritan, which challenges us to rethink who our neighbors are. Jesus expands the traditional understanding of a neighbor to include anyone in need, regardless of background or circumstances. The Samaritan, often seen as an outcast, becomes the exemplar of true neighborliness through his compassionate actions. This parable underscores that faith is not just about belief but about putting love into action, especially towards those we might otherwise overlook or avoid. Together, these readings call us to reflect on our commitment to the Gospel and how we live it out. Just as Paul urges us to hold fast to the true Gospel, Jesus calls us to express our faith through tangible acts of mercy and love. In our daily lives, this means being steadfast in our beliefs while actively seeking opportunities to serve and care for others, even when it is inconvenient or challenging. Let us strive to embody the integrity of Paul and the compassion of the Good Samaritan, living out our faith with authenticity and love.