Daily Readings - Tue Sep 06 2022

¹If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints?²Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?³Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!⁴Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church!⁵I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?⁶But instead, one brother goes to law against another--and this in front of unbelievers!⁷The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?⁸Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers.⁹Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders¹⁰nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.¹¹And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

Luke

Chapter 6

¹²One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.¹³When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:¹⁴Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew,¹⁵Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot,¹⁶Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.¹⁷He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coast of Tyre and Sidon,¹⁸who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by evil spirits were cured,¹⁹and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two profound themes that guide us in our faith journey. The first reading from 1 Corinthians 6:1-11 addresses the importance of resolving disputes within the Christian community, urging believers to seek judgment from the saints rather than secular courts. Paul reminds the Corinthians that their new identity in Christ calls them to live a life of holiness, free from the sins of the past. The Gospel from Luke 6:12-19 presents Jesus prayerfully selecting His twelve apostles, embodying His mission to form a community of disciples. He then heals the multitude, demonstrating His divine power and compassion. Both readings emphasize the significance of community and living according to God's will. In Corinthians, Paul challenges the church to handle conflicts with love and wisdom, reflecting their identity as children of God. In Luke, Jesus' selection of the apostles and His healing ministry illustrate the heart of His mission: forming a community that serves and heals. These passages remind us that our faith is not individualistic but communal, requiring us to live in harmony and service to others. Applying these teachings to our daily lives, we are called to approach disputes with grace and seek resolution within our faith community. We should strive to be like Jesus, reaching out with compassion and healing to those around us. The moral reflection here is clear: our identity in Christ compels us to live as children of light, reflecting His holiness and love in all we do. May we embrace this call, living as a community that heals and serves, just as Jesus did.