Daily Readings - Wed Sep 02 2020
1 Corinthians
1Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly--mere infants in Christ.2I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.3You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?4For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men?5What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe--as the Lord has assigned to each his task.6I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.8The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.9For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.
Luke
38Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her.39So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.40When the sun was setting, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them.41Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Christ.42At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them.43But he said, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent."44And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound lessons that guide us in our spiritual journey. The first reading from 1 Corinthians reminds us that while we may plant and water the seeds of faith, it is God who brings forth the growth. Paul addresses the Corinthians, who were divided by factions, urging them to move beyond their carnal divisions and focus on their spiritual growth. He emphasizes that ministers are merely God's instruments, and true growth comes from Him.
In the Gospel, Luke shares the story of Jesus healing Simon's mother-in-law and many others, demonstrating His divine authority. Despite the crowds' desire to keep Him in one place, Jesus insists on spreading the kingdom's message, showing that His mission is not limited to physical healing but extends to spiritual salvation. This highlights Jesus' role as the Messiah, focused on fulfilling His divine purpose.
These readings teach us to trust in God's providence and recognize our role as His instruments. We are called to humility, unity, and a focus on spiritual growth. Let us embrace our role in God's plan, trusting that He will bring forth the fruit of our efforts. In our daily lives, may we seek to serve and spread God's message, remembering that true power and growth come from Him alone.