Daily Readings - Tue Oct 30 2018
Ephesians
21submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.22Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.23For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands.25Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her,26that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,27so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.28In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.29For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,30because we are members of his body.31"Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."32This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church.33However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.
Luke
18He said therefore, "What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it?19It is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches."20And again he said, "To what shall I compare the kingdom of God?21It is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, until it was all leavened."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of relationships, growth, and the Kingdom of God. In the first reading from Ephesians, St. Paul writes about the relationship between husbands and wives, emphasizing mutual respect, love, and submission. He draws a profound analogy between the union of marriage and the union of Christ and the Church. Just as Christ loves and sacrifices for the Church, husbands are called to love their wives selflessly, and wives are called to respect and support their husbands. This passage reminds us that marriage is not just a human institution but a sacred reflection of God’s love and care for His people.
In the Gospel, Jesus uses two simple yet powerful parables to describe the Kingdom of God: the mustard seed and the leaven. The mustard seed, though small, grows into a great tree, providing shelter for the birds. The leaven, though hidden, transforms the entire batch of dough. These images teach us that the Kingdom of God is not about grandeur or immediate results but about small, consistent efforts that lead to transformation over time. Just as the leaven works quietly to change the dough, our faith and love can work quietly in the world to bring about God’s plan.
Both readings remind us that growth and transformation are gradual processes that require patience, love, and dedication. In our marriages, families, and communities, we are called to imitate Christ’s selfless love and to nurture one another with care and respect. Similarly, in our spiritual lives, we are called to trust in the slow but steady work of God’s grace, even when the results are not immediately visible. Let us ask for the grace to live out these teachings in our daily lives, trusting that our small acts of love and faithfulness can bring about great things in God’s time.