Daily Readings - Fri Sep 06 2024
1 Corinthians
1So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God.2Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.3I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself.4My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me.5Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.
Luke
33They said to him, "John's disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking."34Jesus answered, "Can you make the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them?35But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast."36He told them this parable: "No one tears a patch from a new garment and sews it on an old one. If he does, he will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old.37And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins, the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined.38No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins.39And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for he says, 'The old is better.'"
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on faithfulness, judgment, and the newness of God’s work in our lives. In the first reading from 1 Corinthians, St. Paul reminds us that we are ministers of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. He emphasizes that our ultimate judgment comes not from others or even ourselves, but from the Lord. This calls us to humility and trust in God’s plan, recognizing that true evaluation of our lives will only be revealed when the Lord returns. Paul’s words remind us to focus on faithfulness rather than seeking human approval, as our true worth is measured by God alone.
In the Gospel, Jesus responds to the Pharisees’ criticism of His disciples’ lack of fasting by using vivid parables. He compares Himself to a groom whose presence brings joy, and He explains that new wine cannot be poured into old wineskins. Jesus is emphasizing that His teachings and way of life are fresh and transformative. The old ways of thinking and practicing religion cannot contain the new life He offers. This challenges us to embrace change and openness to the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives, rather than clinging to comfortable but outdated habits.
Together, these readings encourage us to live with humility, trust, and openness. Like St. Paul, we are called to be faithful servants, trusting that God’s judgment is beyond human understanding. Like Jesus’ disciples, we are invited to embrace the newness of God’s kingdom, even when it disrupts our familiar ways. In our daily lives, this means being willing to let go of what is comfortable but limiting, and instead, to trust in God’s plan. Let us ask for the grace to be open to the Spirit’s renewal and to live with joyful trust in the Lord’s presence in our lives.