Daily Readings - Fri Nov 22 2024
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the call to prophesy, the purification of God’s house, and the commitment to living out God’s word in our lives. In the first reading from Revelation, John is given a scroll by an angel and told to eat it. The scroll is sweet in his mouth but bitter in his stomach, symbolizing the dual nature of God’s word. It brings joy and comfort but also challenges us to confront sin and injustice. This passage reminds us that receiving God’s word is not just about comfort but also about the difficult task of proclaiming truth, even when it leads to suffering.
In the Gospel, Jesus enters the temple and drives out those who were turning it into a marketplace. He reminds them that the temple is a house of prayer, not a place for commerce. This act of cleansing the temple is a powerful call to integrity and authenticity in our relationship with God. Just as the temple was meant to be a sacred space for prayer and worship, our hearts and lives must also be purified to make room for God’s presence. Jesus’ actions challenge us to examine our own lives and ensure that we are not allowing worldly distractions or selfish desires to take precedence over our commitment to God.
These readings are deeply connected. Both call us to embrace the word of God and to live it out faithfully, even when it is difficult. John’s experience of eating the scroll reminds us that God’s word must shape us from the inside out, transforming us and equipping us to share it with others. Jesus’ cleansing of the temple reminds us that this transformation must also lead to a purification of our lives and our communities. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Are we truly receiving God’s word and allowing it to transform us? Are we creating space in our lives for prayer and for God’s presence? May we be courageous in embracing the sweetness and bitterness of God’s word, and may we strive to live as temples of the Holy Spirit, dedicated to prayer, integrity, and the proclamation of God’s truth.