Daily Readings - Mon Sep 01 2025

¹³But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.¹⁴For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.¹⁵For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.¹⁶For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:¹⁷Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.¹⁸Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Luke

Chapter 4

¹⁶And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read.¹⁷And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,¹⁸The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,¹⁹To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.²⁰And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him.²¹And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.²²And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?²³And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.²⁴And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country.²⁵But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land;²⁶But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow.²⁷And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.²⁸And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath,²⁹And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.³⁰But he passing through the midst of them went his way,

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter two profound messages of hope and mission. The First Reading from 1 Thessalonians offers comfort to those grieving, assuring them of the hope found in the resurrection of Jesus. Paul reminds the Thessalonians that their deceased loved ones are not lost but will rise again with Christ, urging them to console one another with this promise. The Gospel from Luke depicts Jesus in his hometown synagogue, where he proclaims the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, outlining his mission to the marginalized. However, this message is met with rejection, as the people of Nazareth fail to see beyond his humble origins. The context of these readings reveals their deeper significance. Paul’s letter addresses the concerns of early Christians about the fate of those who died before Christ’s return, providing reassurance rooted in the resurrection. In Luke, Jesus’s mission statement in Nazareth sets the stage for his ministry, emphasizing compassion and justice, yet it also highlights the challenge of acceptance, even in familiar surroundings. These readings connect through the theme of hope and its practical application. Paul’s hope in the resurrection is embodied in Jesus’s mission, which brings hope to the downtrodden. Yet, as seen in Nazareth, living out this hope can lead to rejection, reminding us that following Christ may require facing challenges with faith. In our daily lives, we are called to embody this hope. We can find comfort in the promise of eternal life, even amidst loss. Like Jesus, we should reach out to those on the margins, whether through kindness, advocacy, or simply being present. When we face rejection or adversity, we must remember that our faith in God’s plan gives us the strength to persevere. The moral lesson here is clear: living with hope and faith transforms us. It enables us to comfort others, embrace our mission, and face challenges with courage. May we, like Paul and Jesus, find the strength to live out our faith, trusting in God’s plan and bringing hope to a world in need.