Daily Readings - Tue Nov 20 2018
Revelation
1"To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.2Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.3Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you.4Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy.5He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.6He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.14"To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation.15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other!16So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth.17You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.21To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
Luke
1Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through.2A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy.3He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd.4So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.5When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today."6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.7All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.'"8But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."9Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham.10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
Sermon
The readings today offer a powerful call to spiritual vigilance and conversion. In the first reading from Revelation, Jesus addresses the Churches of Sardis and Laodicea, challenging them to examine their spiritual state. The Church of Sardis is warned that, though it appears alive, it is spiritually dead and must repent and hold fast to what remains. The Church of Laodicea is rebuked for its lukewarmness, its false sense of self-sufficiency, and its spiritual blindness. Jesus urges them to seek true wealth in gold refined by fire and to open their hearts to his presence. These messages remind us that complacency and mediocrity have no place in the Christian life.
In the Gospel, we encounter Zacchaeus, a wealthy tax collector who, despite his small stature and social ostracism, seeks Jesus with determination. Climbing a sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of him, Zacchaeus experiences a profound encounter. Jesus not only sees him but also chooses to stay in his home, a gesture of divine mercy and acceptance. This encounter transforms Zacchaeus, leading him to repentance and a commitment to justice and generosity. His story shows that true conversion is not just a change of heart but also a change in actions, as he resolves to give half his goods to the poor and make restitution for any wrongdoing.
These readings are deeply connected. Both emphasize the need for spiritual awakening and the transformative power of encountering Christ. The Churches in Revelation are called to move beyond superficial faith, while Zacchaeus exemplifies what it means to respond to God’s grace with humility, repentance, and concrete actions. For us today, the message is clear: we must not settle for a lukewarm or complacent faith. Instead, we are invited to open our hearts to Jesus, to seek him with determination, and to allow his presence to transform our lives. Let us ask ourselves: Are we spiritually vigilant? Are we living with the kind of faith that bears fruit in love, justice, and generosity? May we, like Zacchaeus, welcome Jesus into our lives and allow his mercy to lead us to true conversion and a deeper relationship with him.