Daily Readings - Sun Feb 03 2019
Jeremiah
4The word of the LORD came to me, saying,5"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."17"Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.18Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land-against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land.19They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.
1 Corinthians
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.9For we know in part and we prophesy in part,10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Luke
21and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing."22All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. "Isn't this Joseph's son?" they asked.23Jesus said to them, "Surely you will quote this proverb to me: 'Physician, heal yourself! Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.'"24"I tell you the truth," he continued, "no prophet is accepted in his hometown.25I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land.26Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon.27And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed--only Naaman the Syrian."28All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this.29They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him down the cliff.30But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the call to serve God and others, the nature of love, and the challenges of living out our faith. In the first reading, Jeremiah is called by God to be a prophet, even before he was born. Despite his initial hesitation, God assures him of His presence and strengthens him for the mission ahead. This passage reminds us that God’s call is not limited by our perceived weaknesses or doubts; He equips us for the task. In the second reading, St. Paul’s beautiful hymn to love reminds us that love is patient, kind, and enduring. Love is not self-seeking or envious; it rejoices in truth and bears all things. This passage challenges us to examine how we love and whether our actions reflect the selfless love of God. In the Gospel, Jesus is rejected by His own people in Nazareth because they cannot see beyond His humble origins. He reminds them that prophets are often rejected at home and that God’s grace is not confined to one people or place. This rejection leads to anger, but Jesus calmly walks away, showing us how to respond to hostility with peace and trust in God.
These readings are connected by the theme of trust in God’s plan and the call to live out that trust in love and humility. Jeremiah’s call and Jesus’ rejection both emphasize that following God’s will often requires courage and perseverance in the face of opposition. St. Paul’s teaching on love reminds us that our actions must be rooted in selfless love, which is the foundation of all Christian life. Together, the readings call us to trust God’s plan, remain humble, and love without condition, even when it is difficult.
In our daily lives, we are called to live out this love and trust. When we face challenges or rejection, we can draw strength from God’s promise to be with us, just as He was with Jeremiah and Jesus. Let us examine how we love those around us—do we love patiently and kindly, or do we allow envy or selfishness to creep in? Let us also reflect on how we respond to rejection or criticism. Do we react with anger, or do we trust in God’s plan and walk away with peace? Today’s readings remind us that our faith is not just about belief but about living out that belief in love and humility. May we strive to be instruments of God’s love, even when it is hard, and may we trust in His presence to guide and strengthen us.