Daily Readings - Fri Sep 15 2023

⁷During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.⁸Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered⁹and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him

Gospel - Luke 2.33-35 or John 19.25-27

Luke

Chapter 2

³³The child's father and mother marveled at what was said about him.³⁴Then Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, his mother: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against,³⁵so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too."

John

Chapter 19

²⁵Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.²⁶When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son,"²⁷and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect deeply on the mystery of Christ's mission and its implications for our own lives. In the first reading from Hebrews, we hear of Jesus, who, though the Son of God, learned obedience through suffering. This passage emphasizes that Christ's journey was not one of ease but of profound struggle and prayer. It reminds us that even in our own struggles, we can turn to God with cries and tears, trusting that He hears us. Jesus' obedience, far from being a sign of weakness, became the source of salvation for all who follow Him. In the Gospel, Luke presents Simeon's prophecy, which reveals the duality of Christ's mission: He is both a cause of ruin and resurrection, a sign of contradiction. These words speak to the transformative power of Christ, who challenges us to confront our own hearts. Simeon's words to Mary, that a sword would pierce her soul, remind us that following Christ comes with a cost. It is through this suffering and contradiction that the thoughts of many hearts are revealed, calling us to examine our own hearts and align them with God's will. These readings call us to embrace obedience and trust in God's plan, even when it leads us through trials. Like Mary, we are invited to stand faithfully, allowing the sword of God's truth to pierce our hearts, revealing our true intentions and desires. In a world often resistant to the Gospel, we are reminded that our faith will sometimes lead to contradiction and challenge. Yet, it is precisely through these struggles that we grow in holiness and become instruments of salvation for others. Let us, therefore, embrace the cross with courage, knowing that in doing so, we participate in Christ's mission of redemption.