Daily Catholic Mass Readings for October 21, 2021
First Reading: Romans 6.19-23
19I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.20When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness.21What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!22But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Psalm 1
1Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.2But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.3He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.4Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.6For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Gospel: Luke 12.49-53
49"I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!50But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!51Do you think I came to bring peace on earth? No, I tell you, but division.52From now on there will be five in one family divided against each other, three against two and two against three.53They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the transformative power of faith and the challenges it presents. The first reading from Romans encourages believers to turn away from sin and towards justice, emphasizing that this transformation leads to sanctification and eternal life. The Gospel from Luke presents a more intense message, where Jesus speaks of bringing fire and division, challenging the notion of peace and comfort. Together, these readings invite us to reflect on the nature of our commitment to faith and the changes it necessitates in our lives.
The context of Romans is Paul’s discussion on sanctification, urging believers to live righteously and reject sin. In Luke, Jesus emphasizes that his message is not one of comfort but of challenge, leading to division even within families. Both readings highlight transformation—Romans focusing on inner change and Luke on the external impact of that change. This duality reminds us that embracing faith requires both personal transformation and the courage to face its consequences.
Applying these teachings to daily life, we are called to recognize that following Christ involves change and may lead to challenges or divisions. It requires commitment and standing firm in our faith, even when it is difficult. The moral lesson here is clear: embracing the transformative power of faith leads to eternal life, but it is not without its costs. We must be willing to face division and stand for justice and righteousness, trusting in God’s promise of eternal life.