Daily Readings - Mon Sep 07 2020
1 Corinthians
1It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: A man has his father's wife.2And you are proud! Shouldn't you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this?3Even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. And I have already passed judgment on the one who did this, just as if I were present.4When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present,5hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord.6Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough?7Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast--as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.8Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.
Luke
6On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled.7The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath.8But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Get up and stand in front of everyone." So he got up and stood there.9Then Jesus said to them, "I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?"10He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He did so, and his hand was completely restored.11But they were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two distinct yet interconnected lessons on morality and compassion. The first reading from 1 Corinthians addresses a grave moral issue within the early Christian community. Paul expresses concern over the community's tolerance of incest, urging them to expel the offender to preserve their spiritual integrity. He uses the metaphor of leaven to illustrate how sin can permeate the entire community if not addressed. Paul connects this to the Passover, emphasizing the need for sincerity and truthfulness in their lives.
The Gospel from Luke presents a scenario where Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, challenging the Pharisees' strict observance. Jesus questions their understanding of the Sabbath, asserting that it is lawful to do good and heal. This act of compassion angers the Pharisees, who then plot against him. This narrative highlights Jesus' teaching that compassion should guide our actions, even in the face of rigid rules.
Together, these readings teach us about balancing moral standards with compassion. They remind us to address sin within our communities with integrity, while also being guided by mercy. The moral lesson is that true righteousness involves both upholding moral principles and showing compassion. We should strive to create supportive communities that foster virtuous living through understanding and mercy.