Daily Readings - Mon Oct 28 2024
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 readings today invite us to reflect on our identity as followers of Christ and our role within the community of faith. In the first reading from Ephesians, we hear that we are no longer strangers or outsiders but are now citizens in the household of God, built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, with Christ as the cornerstone. This passage emphasizes that we are part of a living temple, a spiritual structure where God dwells among us. It reminds us that our faith is not a solitary journey but one that is deeply connected to the broader community of believers.
The Gospel from Luke complements this by showing us how Jesus formed a community of disciples to carry out His mission. After spending the night in prayer, Jesus chose twelve Apostles, each with their own unique backgrounds and personalities. This act of selection was not arbitrary; it was intentional, as Jesus was forming a group that would continue His work of preaching, healing, and bringing God’s love to the world. The scene that follows, with Jesus healing the sick and the crowd pressing in to touch Him, underscores the transformative power of His presence and the mission of those He called to follow Him.
These readings challenge us to reflect on our own place within the Body of Christ. Like the early Christians, we are called to be part of a living, breathing community that is built on the foundation of faith. Like the Apostles, we are summoned to participate in God’s work of healing and restoration, not just in grand gestures but in the everyday moments of love, kindness, and service. Let us ask ourselves: How am I contributing to the building up of God’s temple? How am I using my gifts and talents to bring healing and hope to those around me? May we, like the early Church, be a source of light and life, united in our diversity and strengthened by the presence of the Holy Spirit.