Daily Readings - Thu Oct 25 2018
Ephesians
13I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.14For this reason I kneel before the Father,15from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.20Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,21to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Luke
49"I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!50But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!51Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.52From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.53They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful themes that challenge us to reflect deeply on our faith and our place in the world. The first reading from Ephesians is a prayer of St. Paul, who asks God to strengthen the believers with the power of the Holy Spirit. He prays that they may be rooted in faith and love, and that they may come to understand the boundless and incomprehensible love of Christ. This prayer is born out of Paul’s own sufferings and tribulations, which he endures for the sake of the Gospel. He sees his struggles as a source of glory because they contribute to the spread of God’s grace and the unity of the Church.
The Gospel reading from Luke presents a stark contrast to the harmony and unity emphasized in Ephesians. Jesus speaks of division and conflict, declaring that He has come not to bring peace but fire and separation. He warns that His message will divide families, setting members against one another. This is not because God delights in discord, but because the truth of the Gospel inevitably challenges the status quo and requires difficult choices. Jesus’ words remind us that following Him is not always easy; it may require us to stand apart from those who do not share our faith, even those closest to us.
These readings, though seemingly contradictory, are deeply connected. The unity and love that Paul prays for in Ephesians are not a superficial harmony that avoids conflict. Rather, they are a strength that enables us to stand firm in the face of division and to love even those who oppose us. Jesus’ fire is not one of destruction but of purification, calling us to a radical commitment to His truth. In our daily lives, we are called to embody this tension: to be people of love and unity who are also willing to stand up for the truth, even when it is difficult. Let us ask for the grace to be strengthened by the Spirit, to embrace the fullness of God’s love, and to live courageously as disciples of Christ, trusting that He is always at work in us, even in the midst of challenge and division.