Daily Readings - Wed Sep 17 2025
1 Timothy
14Although I hope to come to you soon, I am writing you these instructions so that,15if I am delayed, you will know how people ought to conduct themselves in God's household, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.16Beyond all question, the mystery of godliness is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.
Luke
31"To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like?32They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other: "'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.'33For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.'34The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners."'35But wisdom is proved right by all her children."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of God’s truth and how we respond to it in our lives. In the first reading from 1 Timothy, St. Paul emphasizes the Church as the “pillar and foundation of truth,” a community called to uphold and live out the mystery of God’s plan revealed in Jesus Christ. This mystery, St. Paul writes, is so profound that it transcends human understanding—it is a truth that has been manifested in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, and proclaimed to all nations. The Church, then, is not just a human institution but a divine gift, a place where God’s truth is lived and shared.
In the Gospel, Jesus uses a parable to describe the resistance He and John the Baptist faced from the people of their time. While John was criticized for his austerity, Jesus was criticized for His openness and joy. This highlights the tendency of the human heart to find fault with God’s messengers, no matter how they approach us. Yet, Jesus reminds us that true wisdom is vindicated by its results—those who follow God’s ways will bear fruit in their lives. This passage challenges us to examine our own response to God’s truth. Are we open to receiving it, or do we allow pride or stubbornness to harden our hearts?
Together, these readings call us to embrace the Church as a living community of faith and to live out the truth of the Gospel with integrity. In a world that often resists or distorts God’s message, we are invited to be consistent in our faith, trusting in the wisdom of God even when it is misunderstood. Let us ask for the grace to be faithful children of the Church, to live the mystery of piety in our own lives, and to bear witness to the truth of Christ in a world that so deeply needs it.