Daily Readings - Sat Sep 27 2025
Zechariah
1Then I looked up-and there before me was a man with a measuring line in his hand!2I asked, "Where are you going?" He answered me, "To measure Jerusalem, to find out how wide and how long it is."3Then the angel who was speaking to me left, and another angel came to meet him4and said to him: "Run, tell that young man, 'Jerusalem will be a city without walls because of the great number of men and livestock in it.5And I myself will be a wall of fire around it,' declares the LORD, 'and I will be its glory within.'10"Shout and be glad, O Daughter of Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you," declares the LORD.11"Many nations will be joined with the LORD in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the LORD Almighty has sent me to you.
Luke
43And they were all amazed at the greatness of God.44While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, "Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men."45But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful visions of God’s presence and the call to trust in His plan. The First Reading from Zechariah paints a vivid picture of a Jerusalem without walls, where God Himself is the protective fire around His people. This vision, given to a post-exilic community struggling to rebuild, reminds us that true security comes not from human constructs but from the divine. Zechariah’s prophecy also speaks of a future where many nations will join God’s people, highlighting the universal scope of His salvation.
The Gospel from Luke shifts our focus to Jesus, who heals a boy and then speaks mysteriously to His disciples about His upcoming betrayal. While the disciples are amazed by His miracles, they fail to grasp the deeper truth of His mission—one that includes suffering and surrender. This tension between wonder and misunderstanding invites us to reflect on our own faith. Do we focus only on the miracles, the easy parts of following Christ, or do we embrace the fullness of His message, even when it challenges us?
Today’s readings call us to trust in God’s plan, even when it’s difficult to understand. Like Zechariah’s vision, our lives are part of a larger story where God’s presence transforms and expands His kingdom. Like the disciples, we are invited to move beyond mere amazement to a deeper commitment. May we, in our daily lives, seek to embody this trust and openness, allowing God’s fire of love to burn brightly within us, and may we welcome all people into His embrace.