Daily Readings - Sat Jul 04 2020

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 powerful messages of renewal and transformation. The first reading from Amos 9:11-15 speaks of God's promise to restore the tabernacle of David, rebuild the fallen, and bring prosperity to His people. This prophecy, delivered during a time of social injustice, offers hope to a nation in despair, promising a future where the land will be fertile and the people will thrive under God's care. In the Gospel, Matthew 9:14-17, Jesus addresses the question of fasting posed by John's disciples. He uses the analogy of a groom and the parables of patches and wineskins to illustrate the incompatibility of old practices with the new message He brings. Jesus emphasizes that His presence brings joy and that the old traditions cannot contain the new life He offers, just as old garments and wineskins cannot hold the new without causing damage. These readings together invite us to embrace the newness that God brings. Just as Amos foresees a restored Israel and Jesus introduces a new way of living, we are called to openness and trust in God's plan. In our daily lives, this means letting go of outdated ways and being receptive to the renewal God offers. The moral lesson here is clear: trust in God's plan for renewal and be open to the changes that bring new life and growth.