Daily Readings - Wed Oct 15 2025
Romans
1Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.2But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.3And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?4Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?5But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;6Who will render to every man according to his deeds:7To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:8But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,9Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;10But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:11For there is no respect of persons with God.
Luke
42But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.43Woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye love the uppermost seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets.44Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are as graves which appear not, and the men that walk over them are not aware of them.45Then answered one of the lawyers, and said unto him, Master, thus saying thou reproachest us also.46And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter a powerful theme of judgment, hypocrisy, and the call to genuine faith. The first reading from Romans reminds us that we condemn ourselves when we judge others, as we often do the same things. Paul emphasizes that God's judgment is impartial, rewarding good deeds and showing wrath to the contentious. The Gospel from Luke presents Jesus criticizing the Pharisees for their meticulous tithing while neglecting justice and love, likening them to unmarked graves. He also condemns the lawyers for burdening others without lifting a finger.
These readings, though from different contexts, share a common thread: the danger of hypocrisy and the importance of integrity. Romans warns against self-righteous judgment, while Luke illustrates this with Jesus' confrontation of religious leaders. Both call us to look inward, ensuring our actions align with our faith, rather than merely following rituals.
In our daily lives, let us examine our own actions before judging others, and ensure our practices are rooted in love and justice. True faith requires compassion and integrity, not just outward appearances. Let us strive to live with hearts open to God's love, focusing on genuine righteousness rather than hypocrisy.