Daily Readings - Tue Sep 12 2017
Colossians
6So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him,7rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.8See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.9For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,10and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.11In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ,12having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.13When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,14having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
Luke
12One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.13When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:14Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,15Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,16Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.17He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon,18who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured,19and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound connection between our faith in Christ and our mission to live as His disciples in the world. In the first reading from Colossians, St. Paul reminds us that our lives must be deeply rooted in Christ. He warns us against being swayed by empty philosophies and human traditions that can lead us away from the truth of the Gospel. Instead, we are called to live in gratitude and humility, recognizing that in Christ, we have been fully reconciled to God. Through Baptism, we have been buried and raised with Him, and our sins have been forgiven. This is the foundation of our Christian identity.
In the Gospel, Luke describes Jesus choosing the Twelve Apostles after a night of prayer. This moment marks the beginning of their formal mission to spread the Good News. Jesus then descends to a level place, where a great crowd gathers to listen to Him and be healed. The power of God flows through Him, touching all who are in need. This scene reminds us that our faith is not just about personal spirituality but also about being part of a community that seeks healing and transformation. Just as the Apostles were called to follow Jesus and share His message, we too are called to live out our faith in the world.
These readings challenge us to examine how we are living our faith. Are we rooted in Christ, or are we allowing the influences of the world to pull us away from Him? Are we using our unique gifts and talents to serve others and share the love of God? Let us remember that our faith is not just about what we believe but also about how we live. Like the Apostles, we are called to be instruments of God’s healing and hope in a world that so desperately needs it. May we, like the crowd in the Gospel, reach out to touch Jesus, and may His power flow through us to bring light and love to all those around us.