Daily Readings - Tue Oct 01 2019
Zechariah
20This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come,21and the inhabitants of one city will go to another and say, 'Let us go at once to entreat the LORD and seek the LORD Almighty. I myself am going.'22And many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the LORD Almighty and to entreat him."23This is what the LORD Almighty says: "In those days ten men from all languages and nations will take firm hold of one Jew by the hem of his robe and say, 'Let us go with you, because we have heard that God is with you.'"
Luke
51As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem.52And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him;53but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem.54When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?"55But Jesus turned and rebuked them,56and they went to another village.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful visions of unity and compassion. The first reading from Zechariah paints a future where people from every nation and language will come together, united in their desire to seek the Lord. This prophecy speaks of a time when divisions will fade, and humanity will recognize that God is with us. The Gospel, however, presents a different scene. Jesus, on his way to Jerusalem, is rejected by the Samaritans, and his disciples, filled with indignation, want to call down fire to destroy them. But Jesus rebukes them, reminding them that he came not to destroy but to save.
These readings invite us to reflect on the tension between unity and division, between love and retaliation. Zechariah’s vision reminds us that God’s ultimate plan is one of universal reconciliation, where people from all walks of life will come together in peace. Yet, in the Gospel, we see how far we are from that vision when we allow anger and division to guide our actions. Jesus’ response to his disciples is a stark reminder that our calling is not to condemn but to save, not to destroy but to love.
As we apply these readings to our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Where do we see division and rejection in our world? In our communities? In our own hearts? Jesus shows us that the path to unity and reconciliation is not through retaliation or anger but through patience, compassion, and love. Let us strive to embody this spirit in our interactions with others, even when we face rejection or misunderstanding. By doing so, we become instruments of God’s peace, drawing people closer to him, just as Zechariah prophesied.