Daily Readings - Sun Aug 21 2022

¹⁸But I know their works and their thoughts. I am arriving, so that I may gather them together with all nations and languages. And they will approach, and they will see my glory¹⁹And I will set a sign among them. And I will send some of those who will have been saved to the Gentiles in the sea, to Africa, and to those who draw the bow in Lydia, to Italy and Greece, to islands far away, to those who have not heard of me, and to those who have not seen my glory. And they will announce my glory to the Gentiles²⁰And they will lead all of your brothers from all of the Gentiles as a gift to the Lord, on horses, and in four-horse chariots, and on stretchers, and on mules, and in coaches, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, says the Lord, in the same manner that the sons of Israel would carry an offering in a pure vessel into the house of the Lord²¹And I will take from them to be priests and Levites, says the Lord

Hebrews

Chapter 12

⁵And you have forgotten the consolation which speaks to you like sons, saying: "My son, do not be willing to neglect the discipline of the Lord. Neither should you become weary, while being rebuked by him.⁶For whomever the Lord loves, he chastises. And every son whom he accepts, he scourges⁷Persevere in discipline. God presents you to himself as sons. But what son is there, whom his father does not correct¹¹Now every discipline, in the present time, does not seem a gladness, of course, but a grief. But afterwards, it will repay a most peaceful fruit of justice to those who become trained in it¹²Because of this, lift up your lazy hands and your lax knees¹³and straighten the path of your feet, so that no one, being lame, may wander astray, but instead may be healed

Luke

Chapter 13

²²And he was traveling through the cities and towns, teaching and making his way to Jerusalem²³And someone said to him, "Lord, are they few who are saved?" But he said to them²⁴"Strive to enter through the narrow gate. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and not be able²⁵Then, when the father of the family will have entered and shut the door, you will begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us.’ And in response, he will say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.²⁶Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.²⁷And he will say to you: ‘I do not know where you are from. Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity!²⁸In that place, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, yet you yourselves are expelled outside²⁹And they will arrive from the East, and the West, and the North, and the South; and they will recline at table in the kingdom of God³⁰And behold, those who are last will be first, and those who are first will be last.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on God’s universal call, the nature of discipline, and the urgency of living a life of purpose and faith. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a vision of God gathering all nations and peoples to Himself, a sign of His universal plan of salvation. This passage emphasizes that God’s glory is not confined to one place or people but is meant to be shared with all. It reminds us that we are called to be part of this universal mission, bringing God’s light to a world in need. The second reading from Hebrews takes us deeper into the nature of God’s love and discipline. It reminds us that suffering and correction are not signs of God’s absence but rather of His love. Just as a father disciplines his children to help them grow, God allows trials in our lives to purify us and draw us closer to Him. This passage calls us to embrace discipline as a path to holiness, trusting that the struggles we endure will ultimately bear fruit in peace and justice. In the Gospel, Jesus challenges us to examine our commitment to following Him. When asked about the number of those who will be saved, He shifts the focus from numbers to the narrow gate through which we must enter. Jesus warns that many will try to enter but will fail because they are complacent or lukewarm in their faith. This is a call to live with intentionality, to strive for a life of discipleship, and to avoid the temptation to rely on superficial associations with God rather than a deep, personal relationship. These readings together remind us that our faith is not a passive endeavor but an active journey. We are called to live with purpose, embracing both the mission of sharing God’s love with the world and the discipline required to grow in holiness. Let us ask ourselves: Am I living a life that reflects the universal call of God’s love? Am I open to the discipline that shapes me into the person He desires me to be? Let us strive to enter through the narrow gate, trusting that the path, though challenging, leads to eternal life.