Daily Readings - Tue Oct 27 2020
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 and the transformative power of God’s grace. In the first reading from Ephesians, St. Paul writes about the relationship between husbands and wives, emphasizing mutual respect and love. He calls wives to submit to their husbands as a reflection of the Church’s submission to Christ, and he urges husbands to love their wives with the same self-giving love that Christ has for the Church. This passage is often misunderstood, but its heart is not about hierarchy; it’s about mutual surrender and care, rooted in the belief that marriage is a sacrament that reflects the union of Christ and his Church.
In the Gospel, Jesus uses two 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 remind us that God’s Kingdom often begins in small, unnoticed ways, but it has the power to transform and grow into something extraordinary. Like the mustard seed and leaven, our faith may seem insignificant at times, but it can have a profound impact when nurtured and allowed to grow.
Both readings encourage us to trust in the slow, often invisible work of God’s grace in our lives. Just as the mustard seed and leaven require time and patience to fulfill their purpose, our relationships and our faith require us to be patient, nurturing, and open to growth. In our marriages, families, and friendships, we are called to imitate Christ’s self-giving love, even when it’s challenging. And in our spiritual lives, we are reminded that even the smallest acts of faith can lead to great transformations. Let us ask for the grace to live with humility, patience, and love, allowing God’s Kingdom to take root and flourish in our hearts and in the world around us.