Daily Readings - Fri Sep 28 2018
Ecclesiastes
1There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:2a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,3a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,4a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,5a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain,6a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,7a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,8a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.9What does the worker gain from his toil?10I have seen the burden God has laid on men.11He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.
Luke
18Once when Jesus was praying in private and his disciples were with him, he asked them, "Who do the crowds say I am?"19They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, that one of the prophets of long ago has come back to life."20"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "The Christ of God."21Jesus strictly warned them not to tell this to anyone.22And he said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on the nature of time, purpose, and the mystery of God’s plan. The first reading from Ecclesiastes reminds us that life is filled with seasons—times of birth and death, planting and uprooting, joy and sorrow. The author suggests that while we may not fully understand the meaning of all things, we can trust that God has ordered them well. This wisdom encourages us to embrace the present moment, whatever it may bring, and to find balance in the midst of life’s contradictions.
The Gospel reading from Luke shifts our focus to Jesus, who reveals the ultimate purpose of his mission. When Jesus asks his disciples who they believe he is, Peter’s confession—“The Christ of God”—marks a turning point. Yet Jesus quickly adds that his identity as the Messiah is inseparable from his suffering, rejection, and resurrection. This passage reminds us that following Christ is not about seeking glory or comfort but about embracing the cross. Just as Jesus accepted his season of suffering for the sake of redemption, we too are called to trust in God’s timing and to find meaning in the challenges we face.
These readings invite us to live with faith and hope. Ecclesiastes teaches us to trust in God’s plan, even when we cannot see the full picture. Luke’s Gospel calls us to embrace our own crosses, knowing that they are part of a larger story of love and salvation. In our daily lives, let us seek to discern God’s timing, to embrace both the joyful and the difficult seasons, and to follow Christ with courage and humility. May we find strength in the knowledge that all things are in God’s hands, and may we live with purpose, trusting that his plan is always for our good.