Daily Readings - Sun Sep 11 2022

⁷Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.⁸They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.'⁹"I have seen these people," the LORD said to Moses, "and they are a stiff-necked people.¹⁰Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation."¹¹But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God. "O LORD," he said, "why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?¹³Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.'"¹⁴Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

1 Timothy

Chapter 1

¹²I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service.¹³Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief.¹⁴The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.¹⁵Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners--of whom I am the worst.¹⁶But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.¹⁷Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Luke

Chapter 15

¹Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him.²But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."³Then Jesus told them this parable:⁴"Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it?⁵And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders⁶and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.'⁷I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.⁸"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?⁹And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.'¹⁰In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of sin, mercy, and the boundless love of God. In the first reading from Exodus, we see the Israelites turning away from God and worshipping a golden calf, an act of rebellion that provokes God’s anger. Yet, Moses intercedes for his people, reminding God of his promises to their ancestors and pleading for mercy. This passage highlights the tension between sin and forgiveness, showing that even in our failures, God’s faithfulness endures. The second reading from 1 Timothy offers a personal testimony of sin and redemption. Paul, once a persecutor of Christians, humbly acknowledges his past sins but rejoices in the mercy he has received through Christ. His words remind us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s grace, and that Christ came specifically to save sinners. The Gospel from Luke presents two parables that further illuminate the heart of God. The parable of the lost sheep and the lost coin reveal a God who actively seeks out the lost and rejoices when they are found. These stories are not just about sinners being forgiven; they are about the relentless love of a God who leaves no one behind. The Pharisees and scribes in the Gospel criticized Jesus for dining with sinners, but Jesus’ actions embody the very essence of his mission: to seek and save the lost. Together, these readings remind us that sin is not the end of the story. God’s mercy is always available, and his love is always seeking to restore us. In our daily lives, these readings call us to humility and openness to God’s grace. We are all sinners in need of mercy, and we are all called to extend that same mercy to others. Let us not be like the Pharisees, judging those who are struggling, but rather like the shepherd and the woman in the parables, who rejoice in the recovery of what was lost. May we approach life with the same patience and compassion that God shows us, trusting in his love and seeking to bring others closer to him.