Daily Readings - Thu Sep 18 2025
1 Timothy
12Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.13Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.14Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.15Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.16Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee.
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
In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the essence of faith and love. The first reading from 1 Timothy encourages us to be examples of faith, using the gifts God has entrusted to us, and to focus on doctrine and self-improvement. This letter, part of Paul's guidance to Timothy, emphasizes the importance of living out our faith in both word and deed. The Gospel from Luke presents a vivid scene where a sinful woman anoints Jesus' feet, teaching us about the transformative power of love and forgiveness.
The context of these readings is significant. 1 Timothy is a pastoral letter guiding Timothy in his role as a leader, urging him to embody faith and virtue. In Luke's Gospel, the setting is a Pharisee's house, highlighting the contrast between the Pharisee's judgment and Jesus' compassionate forgiveness. Both readings connect through their themes of faith and love, showing how these virtues should be lived out in our actions and interactions.
In our daily lives, these readings remind us to live out our faith actively. We are called to use our gifts and talents to serve others, just as Timothy was advised. The story of the sinful woman teaches us about humility and the depth of God's forgiveness. It encourages us to approach life with a loving heart, recognizing that our capacity to love is closely tied to our experience of being forgiven.
The moral lesson here is clear: our faith is not just about belief but about how we live it out. By embracing humility, practicing forgiveness, and expressing love, we reflect God's grace in the world. Let us strive to be examples of faith, just as Timothy was encouraged, and to love deeply, as the sinful woman did, trusting that our faith will bring us salvation and peace.