Daily Readings - Sat Jul 07 2018

¹¹In that day, I will raise up the tabernacle of David, which is fallen. And I will repair the breaches in its walls, and I will restore that which collapsed. And I will rebuild it, just as in the days of antiquity¹²so that they may possess the remnant of Idumea and all the nations, for my name has been invoked over them, says the Lord who does this¹³Behold, the days pass, says the Lord, and the plower will overtake the harvester, and the treader of grapes will overtake the sower of seed. And the mountains will drip sweetness, and every hill will be cultivated¹⁴And I will turn back the captivity of my people Israel. And they will rebuild the deserted cities and inhabit them. And they will plant vineyards and drink their wine. And they will create gardens and eat their fruits¹⁵And I will plant them on their own soil. And I will no longer root them out of their own land, which I have given them, says the Lord your God

Matthew

Chapter 9

¹⁴Then the disciples of John drew near to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast frequently, but your disciples do not fast?¹⁵And Jesus said to them: "How can the sons of the groom mourn, while the groom is still with them? But the days will arrive when the groom will be taken away from them. And then they shall fast¹⁶For no one would sew a patch of new cloth onto an old garment. For it pulls its fullness away from the garment, and the tear is made worse¹⁷Neither do they pour new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wineskins rupture, and the wine pours out, and the wineskins are destroyed. Instead, they pour new wine into new wineskins. And so, both are preserved.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter themes of restoration and renewal, as God speaks through the prophet Amos and through Jesus in the Gospel of Matthew. Amos envisions a future where the tabernacle of David is restored, and Israel is rebuilt, symbolizing God's promise of abundance and peace. This vision is set against the backdrop of a time when Israel was prosperous yet corrupt, and Amos calls for justice and repentance. The reading from Matthew shifts our focus to Jesus, who responds to questions about fasting by emphasizing the joy of his presence and the incompatibility of old traditions with the new covenant he brings. He uses the metaphors of a patch on old cloth and new wine in old wineskins to illustrate that his teachings cannot be confined by old ways. These readings invite us to reflect on the nature of God's work in our lives. Amos reminds us that God is always seeking to restore and renew His people, even in the midst of decay. Jesus, in Matthew, challenges us to embrace the newness of His message, which cannot be contained within the structures of the past. Together, they teach us that God's plan is always forward-looking, bringing new life and possibilities. In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to trust in God's plan and remain open to change. Just as Amos looked forward to a restored Israel and Jesus brought a new covenant, we too can expect God to do new things in our lives. We are called to be flexible and trusting, knowing that God's new ways are for our good. The moral lesson here is clear: embrace the newness God brings, do not resist change, and have faith in His power to restore and renew. Let us approach each day with openness to the Spirit, trusting that God is always doing something new in our lives.