Daily Readings - Thu Sep 21 2017

First Reading - Ephesians 4.1-7, 11-13

¹And so, as a prisoner in the Lord, I beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the vocation to which you have been called²with all humility and meekness, with patience, supporting one another in charity³Be anxious to preserve the unity of the Spirit within the bonds of peace⁴One body and one Spirit: to this you have been called by the one hope of your calling⁵one Lord, one faith, one baptism⁶one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all⁷Yet to each one of us there has been given grace according to the measure allotted by Christ¹¹And the same one granted that some would be Apostles, and some Prophets, yet truly others evangelists, and others pastors and teachers¹²for the sake of the perfection of the saints, by the work of the ministry, in the edification of the body of Christ¹³until we all meet in the unity of faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as a perfect man, in the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ

Gospel - Matthew 9.9-13

Matthew

Chapter 9

⁹And when Jesus passed on from there, he saw, sitting at the tax office, a man named Matthew. And he said to him, "Follow me." And rising up, he followed him¹⁰And it happened that, as he was sitting down to eat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners arrived, and they sat down to eat with Jesus and his disciples¹¹And the Pharisees, seeing this, said to his disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?¹²But Jesus, hearing this, said: "It is not those who are healthy who are in need of a physician, but those who have maladies¹³So then, go out and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the just, but sinners.

Sermon

In today's readings, we are reminded of the profound call to unity and compassion that lies at the heart of our Christian faith. The first reading from Ephesians encourages us to live in a manner worthy of our vocation, emphasizing humility, patience, and the preservation of unity within the body of Christ. It highlights the diverse gifts given to each of us, not for personal glory, but to build up the entire community in faith and knowledge of the Son of God. This passage, written to the early Christian community, underscores the importance of each member contributing to the common good, fostering a Church that is both unified and vibrant. The Gospel from Matthew presents a vivid scene of Jesus' ministry, where he calls Matthew, a tax collector, and dines with sinners and outcasts. This act of inclusion provokes the Pharisees, who question Jesus' choice of companions. Jesus' response is a powerful reminder of his mission: he came not for the righteous, but for sinners. This encounter emphasizes the central theme of mercy over judgment, urging us to embrace those on the fringes of society just as Jesus did. These readings together call us to reflect on our own lives and communities. We are challenged to live with humility and patience, using our unique gifts to serve others and promote unity. Like Jesus, we are to reach out with compassion to those who feel marginalized, remembering that it is mercy that truly reflects God's love. As we strive to live out our faith, may we be inspired by these teachings to create a community that is both inclusive and nurturing, where everyone can find their place in the body of Christ.