Daily Readings - Sun Aug 20 2023

¹Thus says the Lord: Preserve judgment, and accomplish justice. For my salvation is close to its arrival, and my justice is close to being revealed⁶And the sons of the new arrival, who adhere to the Lord so as to worship him and to love his name, shall be his servants: all who keep the Sabbath without profaning it, and who hold to my covenant⁷I will lead them to my holy mountain, and I will gladden them in my house of prayer. Their holocausts and their victims will be pleasing to me upon my altar. For my house will be called the house of prayer for all peoples

Romans

Chapter 11

¹³For I say to you Gentiles: Certainly, as long as I am an Apostle to the Gentiles, I will honor my ministry¹⁴in such a way that I might provoke to rivalry those who are my own flesh, and so that I may save some of them¹⁵For if their loss is for the reconciliation of the world, what could their return be for, except life out of death²⁹For the gifts and the call of God are without regret³⁰And just as you also, in times past, did not believe in God, but now you have obtained mercy because of their unbelief³¹so also have these now not believed, for your mercy, so that they might obtain mercy also³²For God has enclosed everyone in unbelief, so that he may have mercy on everyone

Matthew

Chapter 15

²¹And departing from there, Jesus withdrew into the areas of Tyre and Sidon²²And behold, a woman of Canaan, going out from those parts, cried out, saying to him: "Take pity on me, Lord, Son of David. My daughter is badly afflicted by a demon.²³He did not say a word to her. And his disciples, drawing near, petitioned him, saying: "Dismiss her, for she is crying out after us.²⁴And responding, he said, "I was not sent except to the sheep who have fallen away from the house of Israel.²⁵But she approached and adored him, saying, "Lord, help me.²⁶And responding, he said, "It is not good to take the bread of the children and cast it to the dogs.²⁷But she said, "Yes, Lord, but the young dogs also eat from the crumbs that fall from the table of their masters.²⁸Then Jesus, responding, said to her: "O woman, great is your faith. Let it be done for you just as you wish." And her daughter was healed from that very hour

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter a powerful theme of God’s universal plan and mercy for all people. The first reading from Isaiah speaks of a time when God’s house will be a place of prayer for all nations, emphasizing inclusion and the unity of God’s people. The second reading from Romans, written by Paul, highlights God’s plan to extend His mercy beyond Israel to the Gentiles, illustrating that His gifts and call are irrevocable. Finally, the Gospel from Matthew shares the story of a Canaanite woman who, through her persistence and faith, receives healing for her daughter, demonstrating Jesus’s mission expanding beyond the boundaries of Israel. These readings, each from a different context, weave together a narrative of God’s inclusive love. Isaiah’s vision of a restored Israel open to all peoples reflects a post-exilic hope for renewal and inclusion. Paul’s letter to the Romans explains God’s plan to include the Gentiles, showing that His mercy is not limited to one group. The Gospel illustrates this inclusion in action, as Jesus, initially focused on Israel, responds to the faith of a non-Jewish woman, thus expanding His mission. Together, these readings reveal that God’s plan is not confined to any single group but is intended for all humanity. In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to embrace diversity and extend compassion to everyone we meet. Just as the Canaanite woman’s faith opened her to God’s healing, our faith should lead us to trust in God’s universal plan. Let us strive to create an environment of inclusion and mercy, reflecting God’s love for all people. The moral lesson here is clear: our faith should inspire us to welcome others, just as God has welcomed us, trusting in His plan that transcends all boundaries.