Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 23, 2018
First Reading: Ezekiel 36.23-28
23And I will sanctify my great name, which was defiled among the Gentiles, which you have defiled in their midst. So may the Gentiles know that I am the Lord, says the Lord of hosts, when I will have been sanctified in you, before their eyes24Certainly, I will take you away from the Gentiles, and I will gather you together from all the lands, and I will lead you into your own land25And I will pour clean water over you, and you shall be cleansed from all your filth, and I will cleanse you from all your idols26And I will give to you a new heart, and I will place in you a new spirit. And I will take away the heart of stone from your body, and I will give to you a heart of flesh27And I will place my Spirit in your midst. And I will act so that you may walk in my precepts and keep my judgments, and so that you may fulfill them28And you shall live in the land that I gave to your fathers. And you shall be my people, and I will be your God
Psalm 51
1Unto the end. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he went to Bathsheba. Be merciful to me, O God, according to your great mercy. And, according to the plentitude of your compassion, wipe out my iniquity2Wash me once again from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin3For I know my iniquity, and my sin is ever before me4Against you only have I sinned, and I have done evil before your eyes. And so, you are justified in your words, and you will prevail when you give judgment5For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sinfulness did my mother conceive me6For behold, you have loved truth. The obscure and hidden things of your wisdom, you have manifested to me7You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed. You will wash me, and I will be made whiter than snow8In my hearing, you will grant gladness and rejoicing. And the bones that have been humbled will exult9Turn your face away from my sins, and erase all my iniquities10Create a clean heart in me, O God. And renew an upright spirit within my inmost being11Do not cast me away from your face; and do not take your Holy Spirit from me12Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and confirm me with an unsurpassed spirit13I will teach the unjust your ways, and the impious will be converted to you14Free me from blood, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will extol your justice15O Lord, you will open my lips, and my mouth will announce your praise16For if you had desired sacrifice, I would certainly have given it, but with holocausts, you will not be delighted17A crushed spirit is a sacrifice to God. A contrite and humbled heart, O God, you will not spurn18Act kindly, Lord, in your good will toward Zion, so that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up19Then you will accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations, and holocausts. Then they will lay calves upon your altar
Gospel: Matthew 22.1-14
1And responding, Jesus again spoke to them in parables, saying2"The kingdom of heaven is like a man who was king, who celebrated a wedding for his son3And he sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding. But they were not willing to come4Again, he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell the invited: Behold, I have prepared my meal. My bulls and fatlings have been killed, and all is ready. Come to the wedding.5But they ignored this and they went away: one to his country estate, and another to his business6Yet truly, the rest took hold of his servants and, having treated them with contempt, killed them7But when the king heard this, he was angry. And sending out his armies, he destroyed those murderers, and he burned their city8Then he said to his servants: ‘The wedding, indeed, has been prepared. But those who were invited were not worthy9Therefore, go out to the ways, and call whomever you will find to the wedding.10And his servants, departing into the ways, gathered all those whom they found, bad and good, and the wedding was filled with guests11Then the king entered to see the guests. And he saw a man there who was not clothed in a wedding garment12And he said to him, ‘Friend, how is it that you have entered here without having a wedding garment?’ But he was dumbstruck13Then the king said to the ministers: ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth14For many are called, but few are chosen.’
Sermon
The readings today offer a powerful message about God’s invitation, transformation, and our response to His call. In the first reading from Ezekiel, we hear of God’s promise to restore His people. He vows to pour clean water over them, cleansing them from their sins and idols, and to give them a new heart and a new spirit. This is not merely a physical cleansing but a spiritual transformation, enabling them to live according to His will. Ezekiel’s prophecy speaks to a people in exile, separated from their homeland and their covenant with God. Yet, God’s mercy and faithfulness shine through, as He promises to gather them back and renew their relationship with Him.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the wedding feast, where a king invites guests to celebrate his son’s wedding. Despite the king’s generous invitation, the guests refuse to come, some even mistreating and killing the servants sent to call them. The king’s patience is met with ingratitude, leading to judgment. Yet, the feast is not canceled; instead, the king opens it to anyone who will come, both good and bad. However, when the king enters, he notices a guest without a wedding garment—a symbol of the spiritual preparation and reverence required to truly participate in the feast. This guest is cast out, reminding us that responding to God’s invitation requires more than just presence; it demands a willingness to be transformed and to live in accordance with His will.
Together, these readings remind us that God’s invitation to us is both gracious and urgent. Ezekiel emphasizes the transformative power of God’s Spirit, which cleanses and renews us. The Gospel, on the other hand, highlights the need for a proper response to this invitation—a response marked by repentance, gratitude, and a commitment to living as children of God. In our daily lives, we are called to accept God’s invitation with humility and openness, allowing His Spirit to transform us. Let us not take His mercy for granted, but rather, let us strive to live in a way that reflects our identity as His people, clothed in the garments of faith, love, and obedience.