Daily Readings - Sat Oct 28 2023
Ephesians
19Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household,20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.21In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord.22And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.
Luke
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
The first reading from Ephesians reminds us that we, as followers of Christ, are not strangers or outsiders but are instead citizens in the household of God. We are part of a living temple, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, with Jesus Christ as the cornerstone. This passage emphasizes our unity and belonging within the Body of Christ, where each of us has a place and a purpose. The second reading from Luke’s Gospel shows Jesus at prayer, choosing his twelve Apostles, and then descending to a place where he heals the sick and brings hope to the multitude. This passage highlights Jesus’ deep connection with the Father, his mission to heal and restore, and the call to follow him in serving others.
Both readings are connected by the theme of community and mission. In Ephesians, we see the Church as a spiritual temple, built on the foundation of faith and united in Christ. In Luke’s Gospel, we see the beginnings of that community—the selection of the Apostles, who would become the leaders of the early Church, and Jesus’ ministry of healing, which reflects God’s love and mercy. Together, these readings remind us that we are part of something much larger than ourselves—a community called to live out God’s love and to bring healing and hope to the world.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How am I contributing to the building up of God’s temple? Am I rooted in prayer and faith? Am I reaching out to others, especially those in need of healing or comfort? Let us strive to live as citizens of God’s household, united in Christ and committed to his mission. May we, like the Apostles, be willing to follow Jesus and to serve others, trusting in his power to transform lives. In doing so, we become living stones in the temple of God, a place where his love and light shine forth for all to see.