Daily Readings - Mon Aug 30 2021

¹³Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.¹⁴We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.¹⁵According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.¹⁶For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.¹⁷After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.¹⁸Therefore encourage each other with these words.

Luke

Chapter 4

¹⁶He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. And he stood up to read.¹⁷The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:¹⁸"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,¹⁹to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."²⁰Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him,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

In today's readings, we find a powerful message of hope and mission. The first reading from 1 Thessalonians offers comfort to those grieving, assuring them that through faith in Jesus' resurrection, they can find solace. It reminds us that our belief in eternal life with Christ brings hope, even in the face of death. The Gospel from Luke presents Jesus in his hometown synagogue, where he proclaims the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, emphasizing his mission to the marginalized. However, this message is met with resistance, leading to an attempt on his life, yet he escapes unharmed. The context of 1 Thessalonians is a letter written to early Christians, addressing their concerns about the resurrection and the return of Jesus. It provides comfort and reassurance, reinforcing their faith. In Luke, Jesus' ministry is just beginning, and this scene highlights the rejection he faces, a common fate for prophets. This rejection underscores the challenges of living out one's faith and the mission of bringing God's message to all. These readings connect through the themes of hope and mission. The hope from Thessalonians fuels the courage needed for the mission in Luke. Despite rejection, Jesus persists, showing us that our faith should lead us to embrace God's call, even when faced with adversity. Applying this to daily life, we are reminded to hold onto hope, especially in difficult times. Like the early Christians, we can find comfort in our faith. We are also called to live out the Gospel, reaching out to those on the margins, even if it means facing challenges or rejection. This requires perseverance and trust in God's plan. In reflection, today's readings inspire us to embrace both the hope and the mission. We are to live with the assurance of eternal life and to actively share God's love and justice. Let us strive to embody this hope and mission, trusting in God's guidance and strength.