Daily Readings - Thu Oct 19 2017
Romans
21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify.22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished--26he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith.28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.29Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too,30since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith.
Luke
47"Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them.48So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.49Because of this, God in his wisdom said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.'50Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world,51from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.52"Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering."53When Jesus left there, the Pharisees and the teachers of the law began to oppose him fiercely and to besiege him with questions,54waiting to catch him in something he might say.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the relationship between grace, faith, and our response to God’s justice. In the first reading from Romans, St. Paul explains that God’s justice is revealed not through the law or works, but through faith in Jesus Christ. He emphasizes that all people, Jews and Gentiles alike, are justified by faith, and that no one can boast of their own merits before God. This is a profound reminder that salvation is a gift of God’s grace, not something we earn.
In the Gospel, Jesus addresses the Pharisees, criticizing them for honoring the prophets with tombs while rejecting the prophets’ message, including his own. He condemns their hypocrisy and their failure to recognize the justice of God in their midst. Jesus also rebukes them for hindering others from entering the Kingdom of God, highlighting the danger of religious practices that prioritize appearances over true conversion. Together, these readings challenge us to examine our own relationship with God’s justice and grace.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to humility and authenticity. Like the Pharisees, we can sometimes focus on outward appearances or religious rituals while neglecting the deeper call to faith and conversion. St. Paul reminds us that true justice comes from God’s grace, not our own efforts. Let us ask ourselves: Do we accept God’s gift of salvation with gratitude and humility? Are we allowing his grace to transform our hearts and actions? May we not hinder others from encountering God’s love, but instead, through our faith and lives, help them to find their way to him.