Daily Readings - Fri Oct 27 2017
Romans
18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.19For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do--this I keep on doing.20Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.22For in my inner being I delight in God's law;23but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members.24What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?25Thanks be to God--through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
Luke
54He said to the crowd: "When you see a cloud rising in the west, immediately you say, 'It's going to rain,' and it does.55And when the south wind blows, you say, 'It's going to be hot,' and it is.56Hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky. How is it that you don't know how to interpret this present time?57"Why don't you judge for yourselves what is right?58As you are going with your adversary to the magistrate, try hard to be reconciled to him on the way, or he may drag you off to the judge, and the judge turn you over to the officer, and the officer throw you into prison.59I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny. "
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful reflections on the human condition and our relationship with God. The first reading from Romans and the Gospel from Luke both invite us to examine our inner lives and our external actions, urging us to seek grace and live with spiritual urgency.
Paul’s letter to the Romans paints a vivid picture of the internal struggle we all face. He describes the tension between our desire to do good and the pull of sin, acknowledging that even when we want to act rightly, we often fall short. This struggle is deeply personal, a war within ourselves where our flesh and spirit are in conflict. Yet, Paul does not leave us in despair. He points us to the grace of God through Jesus Christ, reminding us that our liberation from this inner turmoil comes not from our own efforts, but from God’s mercy and love.
In the Gospel, Jesus challenges us to discern the signs of the times and to live with urgency. Just as we can predict the weather by observing the sky, Jesus calls us to recognize the spiritual realities that surround us. He warns us against hypocrisy and complacency, urging us to settle our disputes and seek reconciliation before it is too late. The image of being thrown into prison until we have paid the last coin is a stark reminder of the consequences of neglecting our spiritual lives.
Both readings, though different in tone and focus, point us to the same truth: we are in need of God’s grace, and we must live with intentionality and urgency. Paul’s struggle reminds us that we cannot overcome sin on our own, while Jesus’ words call us to be attentive to God’s will and to act with integrity. Together, they invite us to a life of humility, self-awareness, and trust in God’s providence.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Where am I struggling with sin? How can I seek God’s grace more deeply? Am I attentive to the spiritual signs around me? Let us pray for the courage to acknowledge our weaknesses and for the wisdom to live in accordance with God’s will. May we trust in His grace to free us from the prison of sin and to guide us on the path of righteousness.