Daily Readings - Thu Oct 12 2023
Malachi
13"You have said harsh things against me," says the LORD. "Yet you ask, 'What have we said against you?'14"You have said, 'It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty?15But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.'"16Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.17"They will be mine," says the LORD Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him.18And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.
1"Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says the LORD Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them.2But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.
Luke
5Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.'8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound messages that guide us in our faith journey. The first reading from Malachi addresses a community grappling with doubt, feeling that their devotion to God yields no visible reward. They observe the prosperity of the wicked and question the value of their own faith. Malachi reassures them that God is attentive and will ultimately bring justice, distinguishing the righteous from the impious. The imagery of a refining fire and the rising Sun of justice underscores the promise of deliverance and the triumph of righteousness.
The Gospel from Luke presents Jesus teaching on the power of persistent prayer. Through the parable of the midnight request, Jesus illustrates that even when faced with reluctance, perseverance in prayer yields results. He extends this lesson to the goodness of the Father, emphasizing that if earthly fathers can give good gifts, how much more will our heavenly Father bestow the Holy Spirit on those who ask. This teaching instills trust in God's responsiveness and encourages unwavering faith.
Both readings converge on the themes of trust and perseverance. Malachi urges patience, trusting in God's justice despite current injustices. Luke's Gospel complements this by highlighting the importance of persistent prayer, trusting in God's loving nature. Together, they remind us to remain steadfast in our faith, confident that God's justice will prevail and that our prayers are heard. In our daily lives, let us embrace this trust, knowing that our perseverance in prayer and faith will lead us to experience God's justice and goodness.