Daily Readings - Tue Sep 26 2023
Revelation
9After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.10And they cried out in a loud voice: "Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."11All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,12saying: "Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!"13Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes--who are they, and where did they come from?"14I answered, "Sir, you know."15And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore, "they are before the throne of God and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them.16Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat.17For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
2 Corinthians
7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.11For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.13It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak,14because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
Gospel - Luke 9.23-26 or John 12.24-26
Luke
23Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.24For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.25What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?26If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.
John
24I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.25The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.26Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful visions and teachings that guide us in our Christian journey. The first reading from Revelation presents a glorious vision of a multitude from every nation worshiping before God's throne, having endured great tribulation. This scene offers a glimpse of the eternal life awaiting those who persevere, free from suffering and in God's presence. The second reading from Corinthians reminds us that our bodies, though frail, hold the treasure of the Gospel. Paul emphasizes that through our struggles, God's power is revealed, and the life of Jesus is manifested in us. The Gospel from Luke is a direct call from Jesus to deny ourselves, take up our cross daily, and follow him, underscoring that true life is found in losing ourselves for his sake.
These readings are deeply connected, each illuminating different facets of the Christian experience. Revelation provides the ultimate hope, Corinthians the present struggle, and the Gospel the call to action. Together, they remind us that our trials are not in vain but are opportunities for God's power to shine through us. Embracing our crosses, as Jesus taught, means living with commitment and self-denial, trusting in God's strength to sustain us.
In our daily lives, this means facing challenges with faith, knowing that our perseverance is part of a larger story of God's triumph. We are called to trust in His plan, even when the path is difficult. The moral lesson here is clear: our commitment to Christ is paramount, and through self-denial and trust, we find true life. Let us embrace our crosses with hope, knowing that our struggles contribute to a greater purpose, leading us toward eternal life with God.