Daily Readings - Mon Sep 17 2018
1 Corinthians
17In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good.18In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it.19No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval.20When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat,21for as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk.22Don't you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? Certainly not!23For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me."25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.33So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for each other.
Luke
1When Jesus had finished saying all this in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum.2There a centurion's servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die.3The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to him, asking him to come and heal his servant.4When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with him, "This man deserves to have you do this,5because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue."6So Jesus went with them. He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to him: "Lord, don't trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof.7That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed.8For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this,' and he does it."9When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, he said, "I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel."10Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful lessons about faith, humility, and unity. The first reading from 1 Corinthians challenges us to reflect on how we approach the Eucharist and our life together as a community. Paul rebukes the Corinthians for their divisions and selfishness during the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, reminding them that the Eucharist is not just a meal but a sacred act of unity and remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice. The second reading from Luke’s Gospel presents the story of the centurion, a man of great faith and humility, who seeks healing for his servant. Despite his position of authority, the centurion recognizes his unworthiness and trusts in Jesus’ power to heal from afar. Jesus, moved by the centurion’s faith, praises him as an example of what it means to trust in God’s providence.
The context of these readings reveals deeper truths about our relationship with God and with one another. In Corinth, the early Christian community was divided by social and economic disparities, which carried over into their celebration of the Eucharist. Paul calls them back to the true meaning of the sacrament, emphasizing that it is not just an individual act but a communal expression of unity and gratitude. In the Gospel, the centurion’s humility stands in stark contrast to the divisions in Corinth. Though he holds power, he does not let it cloud his recognition of his dependence on God. His faith is not about what he can do for himself but about trusting in God’s mercy and love.
These readings remind us that our faith must be lived out in humility and unity. Like the centurion, we are called to recognize our limitations and trust in God’s power to transform our lives. At the same time, we must guard against division and selfishness, as seen in Corinth, and instead strive to build up the Body of Christ through our actions and attitudes. In our daily lives, this means approaching the Eucharist with reverence and gratitude, caring for one another’s needs, and trusting in God’s plan even when we cannot see the full picture. Let us ask for the grace to live with the humility of the centurion and the unity that Christ desires for his Church.