Daily Readings - Thu Oct 16 2025
Romans
21But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets;22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:23For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;24Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:25Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.27Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith.28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.29Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also:30Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.
Luke
47Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them.48Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres.49Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:50That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation;51From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.52Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.53And as he said these things unto them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things:54Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the relationship between faith, justice, and hypocrisy. In the first reading from Romans, St. Paul explains that God’s justice is revealed not through the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. He emphasizes that all people—Jews and Gentiles alike—have sinned and fall short of God’s glory, but we are justified freely by God’s grace through the redemption found in Christ. Paul makes it clear that this justification comes not through works of the law but through faith, and he challenges us to humility, recognizing that salvation is a gift, not something we can earn.
In the Gospel, Jesus addresses the Pharisees, criticizing their hypocrisy. While they honor the prophets by building tombs, they fail to live according to the prophets’ teachings. Jesus points out that they are complicit in the sins of their ancestors, who persecuted and killed the prophets. He also condemns their legalism, accusing them of taking away the key of knowledge and preventing others from entering the Kingdom of God. This passage serves as a warning against outward religiosity that lacks inner conversion and genuine faith.
Together, these readings remind us that true faith is not about outward appearances or following rules, but about a deep, interior transformation. We are called to live with integrity, aligning our actions with our beliefs, and avoiding the hypocrisy of honoring God with our lips while neglecting to follow Him with our hearts. Let us examine our own lives today: Are we living as true disciples of Christ, or are we content with superficial religiosity? May we turn to God with humble and sincere hearts, trusting in His grace and striving to live in a way that reflects the justice and love He has revealed to us.