Daily Readings - Thu Oct 09 2025
Malachi
13"You have said harsh things against me," says the LORD. "Yet you ask, 'What have we said against you?'14"You have said, 'It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the LORD Almighty?15But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.'"16Then those who feared the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD and honored his name.17"They will be mine," says the LORD Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession. I will spare them, just as in compassion a man spares his son who serves him.18And you will again see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between those who serve God and those who do not.
1"Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and that day that is coming will set them on fire," says the LORD Almighty. "Not a root or a branch will be left to them.2But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.
Luke
5Then he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, 'Friend, lend me three loaves of bread,6because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'7"Then the one inside answers, 'Don't bother me. The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can't get up and give you anything.'8I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.9"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.11"Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead?12Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?13If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
Sermon
In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on themes of faithfulness, perseverance, and trust in God's providence. The first reading from Malachi addresses a community that has grown complacent in their faith, questioning the value of serving God when the wicked seem to prosper. Malachi reassures the faithful that their perseverance will be rewarded, while the arrogant will face judgment. This prophetic message reminds us that our commitment to God, even in challenging times, is ultimately worthwhile.
The Gospel from Luke complements this message with the parable of the persistent friend. Jesus teaches us about the importance of perseverance in prayer, using the example of a neighbor who, though initially reluctant, eventually responds to persistent knocking. This parable encourages us to trust in God's goodness and to pray with confidence, knowing that our Heavenly Father will provide for us in ways far greater than any human parent could.
These readings remind us to remain steadfast in our faith, even when the world around us seems unjust or when our prayers go unanswered for a time. They call us to trust in God's timing and to persevere in our spiritual journey. As we navigate the challenges of daily life, let us find strength in the promise that our persistence in prayer and our commitment to living justly will ultimately be rewarded. May we continue to seek, knock, and ask with faith, knowing that God's love and provision are always at work in our lives.