Daily Readings - Wed May 23 2018
James
13Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.15Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."16As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on humility, trust in God, and the importance of not hindering the good works of others. In the first reading from James, we are reminded that our lives are fleeting—like a mist that appears and then vanishes. James warns against arrogance and presumption, urging us to recognize that all our plans and accomplishments are ultimately dependent on God’s will. He calls us to live with humility, acknowledging that true wisdom comes from submitting our desires and plans to God’s providence.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the dangers of judging or hindering others who are doing good in His name. The disciples, seeing someone outside their group casting out demons in Jesus’ name, tried to stop him. But Jesus corrects them, saying that no one who works in His name can soon speak ill of Him. This teaches us that our unity as followers of Christ is not about who is “in” or “out,” but about supporting and encouraging all who do good in His name.
These readings challenge us to examine our own attitudes and actions. Do we trust in God’s plan, or do we rely on our own strength and plans? Do we judge others who are doing good but may not belong to our group or follow our ways? Let us learn to live with humility, trusting in God’s will and supporting all who seek to serve Him. May we avoid the sin of omission—failing to do the good we know we should—and instead, may we be open to the ways God works through others, even when it’s unexpected.