Daily Readings - Mon Oct 11 2021

¹Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God--²the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures³regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David,⁴and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.⁵Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.⁶And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.⁷To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Luke

Chapter 11

²⁹As the crowds increased, Jesus said, "This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.³⁰For as Jonah was a sign to the Ninevites, so also will the Son of Man be to this generation.³¹The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here.³²The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now one greater than Jonah is here.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two profound messages that invite us to reflect on our faith and response to God's revelation. The first reading from Romans introduces Paul as a servant of Christ, called to spread the Gospel. He emphasizes Jesus as the Son of God, both in His humanity through David and His divinity through resurrection. Paul's mission to the Gentiles highlights the universal call to faith, greeting the Romans with grace and peace. The Gospel from Luke presents Jesus addressing the skepticism of His time. He criticizes the generation for seeking signs, referencing Jonah as the only sign they will receive. Jesus uses the examples of the queen of the South and the Ninevites to illustrate their responsiveness to God's message, contrasting it with the current generation's reluctance. He underscores that something greater than Jonah is present, urging repentance. Both readings remind us of the importance of faith and response to God's revelation. Like the queen and Nineveh, we should embrace God's message without demanding more signs. In our daily lives, let us remain open to God's presence, trusting in His revelation and living with faith and humility. The moral lesson is clear: repentance and faith are essential, and we must not let skepticism hinder our response to God's call.