Daily Readings - Sun Oct 15 2023

⁶And the Lord of hosts will cause all the peoples on this mountain to feast on fatness, to feast on wine, a fatness full of marrow, a purified wine⁷And he will cast down violently, on this mountain, the face of the chains, with which all peoples had been bound, and the net, with which all nations had been covered⁸He will violently cast down death forever. And the Lord God will take away the tears from every face, and he will take away the disgrace of his people from the entire earth. For the Lord has spoken it⁹And they will say in that day: "Behold, this is our God! We have waited for him, and he will save us. This is the Lord! We have endured for him. We will exult and rejoice in his salvation.¹⁰For the hand of the Lord will rest upon this mountain. And Moab will be trampled under him, just as stubble is worn away by a wagon

Philippians

Chapter 4

¹²I know how to be humbled, and I know how to abound. I am prepared for anything, anywhere: either to be full or to be hungry, either to have abundance or to endure scarcity¹³Everything is possible in him who has strengthened me¹⁴Yet truly, you have done well by sharing in my tribulation¹⁹And may my God fulfill all your desires, according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus²⁰And to God our Father be glory forever and ever. Amen

Matthew

Chapter 22

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 guests

Sermon

In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on God's gracious invitation and our response to it. The prophet Isaiah paints a vivid picture of a future feast on Mount Zion, where God will wipe away tears and remove the shroud of death, offering comfort and salvation to His people. This vision underscores God's enduring promise of restoration and joy, a messianic hope that transcends current sufferings. In Philippians, Paul embodies this hope in his present circumstances, expressing contentment whether in abundance or need, trusting in Christ's strength. He thanks the Philippians for their support, assuring them of God's provision. This passage highlights the Christian virtue of trusting God's providence, knowing He meets all our needs. The Gospel parable of the wedding feast serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of rejecting God's invitation. The king's generosity is met with indifference and violence, leading to the destruction of the ungrateful and the invitation being extended to all others. This parable calls us to readiness and openness to God's call, emphasizing that His invitation is universal, yet requires a willing heart. In our daily lives, let us embrace God's invitation with gratitude and trust. May we, like Paul, find contentment in all circumstances, trusting in God's plan. As we look forward to the eternal feast, may we respond with eagerness, ensuring we are prepared to accept His invitation whenever it comes. Let us live with hearts open to God's will, trusting in His providence and rejoicing in His promises.