Daily Readings - Sun Nov 27 2022

¹The word that Isaiah, the son of Amoz, saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem²And in the last days, the mountain of the house of the Lord will be prepared at the summit of the mountains, and it will be exalted above the hills, and all the nations shall flow to it³And many peoples will go, and they will say: "Let us approach and ascend to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob. And he will teach us his ways, and we will walk in his paths." For the law will go forth from Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem⁴And he will judge the nations, and he will rebuke many peoples. And they shall forge their swords into plowshares, and their spears into sickles. Nation will not lift up sword against nation, neither will they continue to train for battle⁵O house of Jacob, let us approach and walk in the light of the Lord

Romans

Chapter 13

¹¹And we know the present time, that now is the hour for us to rise up from sleep. For already our salvation is closer than when we first believed¹²The night has passed, and the day draws near. Therefore, let us cast aside the works of darkness, and be clothed with the armor of light¹³Let us walk honestly, as in the daylight, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and sexual immorality, not in contention and envy¹⁴Instead, be clothed with the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in its desires

Matthew

Chapter 24

³⁷And just as in the days of Noah, so also will be the advent of the Son of man³⁸For it will be just as it was in the days before the flood: eating and drinking, marrying and being given in marriage, even until that day when Noah entered into the ark³⁹And they did not realize it, until the flood came and took them all away. So also will the advent of the Son of man be⁴⁰Then two men will be in a field: one will be taken up, and one will be left behind⁴¹Two women will be grinding at a millstone: one will be taken up, and one will be left behind⁴²Therefore, be vigilant. For you do not know at what hour your Lord will return⁴³But know this: if only the father of the family knew at what hour the thief would arrive, he would certainly keep vigil and not permit his house to be broken into⁴⁴For this reason, you also must be prepared, for you do not know at what hour the Son of man will return

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of preparation, vigilance, and the ultimate hope of God’s kingdom. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a vision of a future where all nations stream to the mountain of the Lord, where swords are beaten into plowshares and peace reigns. This is not just a distant dream but a call to live in a way that anticipates and reflects this reality. Isaiah’s prophecy reminds us that God’s plan is one of unity and harmony, and we are called to walk in the light of the Lord. The second reading from Romans and the Gospel of Matthew amplify this call to readiness. Paul urges us to cast aside the works of darkness and live as children of the light, for our salvation is near. Jesus, in Matthew’s Gospel, warns us to stay vigilant, comparing the coming of the Son of Man to the days of Noah—when people were caught off guard by the flood. Just as Noah was prepared, we too must be prepared for the Lord’s return. This is not about fear but about living with purpose and intentionality, trusting that God’s timing is perfect. These readings remind us that our daily lives are an opportunity to reflect God’s kingdom. We are called to live honestly, to love without envy or contention, and to be clothed in Christ. In a world often marked by division and conflict, we are to be signs of hope, living in a way that anticipates the peace and unity God promises. Let us approach each day with gratitude and vigilance, knowing that we are not only preparing for the future but also living out the kingdom of God in the present.