Daily Readings - Sun Jan 30 2022
Jeremiah
4The word of the LORD came to me, saying,5"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."17"Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.18Today I have made you a fortified city, an iron pillar and a bronze wall to stand against the whole land-against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land.19They will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD.
1 Corinthians
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.9For we know in part and we prophesy in part,10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Luke
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the call to mission, the nature of love, and the challenges of living out our faith. In the first reading, Jeremiah is called by God to be a prophet, despite his own fears and insecurities. God assures him, "I am with you to deliver you," reminding us that our strength comes not from ourselves but from the Lord. In the second reading, St. Paul describes the essence of love—patient, kind, enduring, and selfless. He reminds us that while other gifts may fade, love remains the greatest and most enduring. In the Gospel, Jesus faces rejection in his own hometown, teaching us that living out our faith can sometimes lead to opposition, but we must remain faithful to our mission.
These readings are deeply connected. Jeremiah’s call to prophesy, despite his fears, is an example of the kind of selfless love St. Paul describes. Jesus’ rejection in Nazareth shows us that even the Son of God faced opposition, yet He remained steadfast in His mission. Together, these readings remind us that our faith is not just about feeling comfortable or being accepted; it is about embracing a life of service, love, and courage, even in the face of challenges.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to reflect on how we live out our faith. Are we willing to step out of our comfort zones to serve others? Do we practice the kind of patient, enduring love that St. Paul describes? When we face rejection or difficulties, do we remain faithful to our mission? Let us ask for the courage to embrace our calling, just as Jeremiah did, and to love as Jesus loved—selflessly and without condition. May we remember that true strength comes from God, and that love is the greatest virtue that endures forever.