Daily Reading — Wednesday, October 21, 2026

Wednesday, October 21, 2026

2 Corinthians 9:6-11 · Luke 9:44-50

Second Corinthians, chapter nine, verses six through eleven.

6But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. 7So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work. 9As it is written: He has dispersed abroad, He has given to the poor; His righteousness endures forever. 10Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, 11while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.

Luke, chapter nine, verses forty-four through fifty.

44Let these words sink down into your ears, for the Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men. 45But they did not understand this saying, and it was hidden from them so that they did not perceive it; and they were afraid to ask Him about this saying. Who Is the Greatest? 46Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. 47And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, 48and said to them, Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great. 49Now John answered and said, Master, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow with us. 50But Jesus said to him, Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side.

Daily Formation Synthesis.

What is the Church teaching your soul today?

Today the Church shows you where the center is, and it is not you. Christ is the Head, and He took that place on the cross, in the body of His flesh, through death. Everything you do in His body follows from that. You do not have to win a place, because the place was won. You do not have to guard the door, because the door is His. The disciples could not see it yet. They argued over greatness while He walked toward Jerusalem. The Church gives you their story so you will recognize the same argument when it starts in your own head. When it does, look at the child. Receive the small and the unseen as you would receive Him, and trust the one who "has the preeminence" to sort out the rest.

Ascetic posture for today: Catch one thought of rank or of "us and them," name it as a thought, and answer it by giving honor to someone with less standing than you.

From the Orthodox Study Bible

2 Corinthians 9:6-15Here is Paul’s landmark teaching on Christian stewardship. The metaphor is not the giving of money but the sowing of seed for a harvest. And where does the seed come from? God Himself (v. 10).

Luke 9:44Christ’s repeated prediction of His Passion was meant to encourage and strengthen His disciples for the terrifying events they would face, and to assure them that Christ was not powerless but went to the Cross willingly.

Luke 9:46-50Little child: See note on Mt 18:1–4. Theophylact sees John’s comment as a regret, his conscience having been pricked by what Christ said about the least and the great. St. Ambrose, on the other hand, sees John as expecting full obedience to accompany such blessings. In either interpretation, Christ’s response shows those acting in good faith are not excluded, even if they are not currently numbered among the disciples. “See how divine grace is at work even in those who are not His disciples” (Theoph; see also Nm 11:24–30). On those using Christ’s name without good faith, see 11:23; Acts 19:13–16.