Daily Readings - Thu Aug 22 2019
Judges
29Therefore, the Spirit of the Lord rested upon Jephthah, and circling around Gilead, and Manasseh, and also Mizpah of Gilead, and crossing from there to the sons of Ammon30he made a vow to the Lord, saying, "If you will deliver the sons of Ammon into my hands31whoever will be the first to depart from the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the sons of Ammon, the same will I offer as a holocaust to the Lord.32And Jephthah crossed to the sons of Ammon, so that he might fight against them. And the Lord delivered them into his hands33And he struck them down from Aroer, as far as the entrance to Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel, which is covered with vineyards, in an exceedingly great slaughter. And the sons of Ammon were humbled by the sons of Israel34But when Jephthah returned to Mizpah, to his own house, his only daughter met him with timbrels and dances. For he had no other children35And upon seeing her, he tore his garments, and he said: "Alas, my daughter! You have cheated me, and you yourself have been cheated. For I opened my mouth to the Lord, and I can do nothing else.36And she answered him, "My father, if you have opened your mouth to the Lord, do to me whatever you have promised, since victory has been granted to you, as well as vengeance against your enemies.37And she said to her father: "Grant to me this one thing, which I request. Permit me, that I may wander the hillsides for two months, and that I may mourn my virginity with my companions.38And he answered her, "Go." And he released her for two months. And when she had departed with her friends and companions, she wept over her virginity in the hillsides39And when the two months expired, she returned to her father, and he did to her just as he had vowed, though she knew no man. From this, the custom grew up in Israel, and the practice has been preserved
Matthew
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
In today's readings, we encounter two profound narratives that invite us to reflect on commitment, faith, and our response to God's call. The first reading from Judges tells the story of Jephthah, a judge of Israel, who makes a vow to God in exchange for victory over the Ammonites. Tragically, his only daughter is the first to greet him upon his return, leading to a heart-wrenching fulfillment of his vow. This story highlights the gravity of our commitments and the unforeseen consequences of our actions, urging us to consider the weight of our promises.
The Gospel reading from Matthew presents the parable of the wedding feast, where a king invites guests to his son's wedding, only to be met with indifference and hostility. The king's patience is tested, and he ultimately opens the feast to all, emphasizing the universality of God's invitation. However, the parable also warns of the importance of being prepared and worthy, as the guest without a wedding garment is cast out. This teaches us about the necessity of spiritual readiness and the appropriate response to God's gracious invitations.
Both readings connect through themes of commitment and response. Jephthah's story reminds us to be mindful of the vows we make, while the parable underscores the importance of being prepared for God's call. In our daily lives, we are invited to reflect on our commitments to God and others, ensuring they are made with sincerity and mindfulness. The moral lesson here is clear: our promises should be made with care, and our response to God's invitation should be with reverence and readiness. Let us approach our commitments with thoughtful consideration and embrace God's invitations with hearts prepared to receive His grace.