Daily Readings - Thu Aug 19 2021
Judges
29Then the Spirit of the LORD was upon Jephthah, and he passed through Gilead and Manasseh and passed on to Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he passed on to the Ammonites.30And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD and said, "If you will give the Ammonites into my hand,31then whatever comes out from the doors of my house to meet me when I return in peace from the Ammonites shall be the LORD's, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering."32So Jephthah crossed over to the Ammonites to fight against them, and the LORD gave them into his hand.33And he struck them from Aroer to the neighborhood of Minnith, twenty cities, and as far as Abel-keramim, with a great blow. So the Ammonites were subdued before the people of Israel.34Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah. And behold, his daughter came out to meet him with tambourines and with dances. She was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.35And as soon as he saw her, he tore his clothes and said, "Alas, my daughter! You have brought me very low, and you have become the cause of great trouble to me. For I have opened my mouth to the LORD, and I cannot take back my vow."36And she said to him, "My father, you have opened your mouth to the LORD; do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, now that the LORD has avenged you on your enemies, on the Ammonites."37So she said to her father, "Let this thing be done for me: leave me alone two months, that I may go up and down on the mountains and weep for my virginity, I and my companions."38So he said, "Go." Then he sent her away for two months, and she departed, she and her companions, and wept for her virginity on the mountains.39And at the end of two months, she returned to her father, who did with her according to his vow that he had made. She had never known a man, and it became a custom in Israel
Matthew
1And again Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying,2"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son,3and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come.4Again he sent other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.'5But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business,6while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.7The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.8Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy.9Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.'10And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests.11"But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment.12And he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?' And he was speechless.13Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'14For many are called, but few are chosen."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on the nature of commitment, faith, and the consequences of our choices. The first reading from Judges tells the story of Jephthah, a judge of Israel, who makes a solemn vow to God in exchange for victory over the Ammonites. Tragically, the first to greet him upon his return is his only daughter, and Jephthah, bound by his vow, must sacrifice her. This story underscores the gravity of our commitments and the often-unexpected ways they shape our lives. The second reading, from Matthew's Gospel, presents Jesus' parable of the wedding feast. A king invites guests to his son's wedding, but they refuse. He then invites others, both good and bad, to fill the feast. However, one guest is cast out for not wearing a wedding garment, highlighting the importance of being prepared to respond to God's invitation.
Both readings, though distinct in context, share a common theme: the call to faithfulness and the consequences of our response. Jephthah's story reminds us that our commitments, even when difficult, have profound implications. The parable of the wedding feast, on the other hand, challenges us to consider how we respond to God's invitation. The guests who refused the invitation represent those who are indifferent or complacent, while the one without a wedding garment symbolizes the lack of preparation for a life of faith. Together, these readings call us to examine our own relationship with God and the seriousness with which we approach our spiritual lives.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How do we respond to God's invitations in our lives? Are we like the guests who ignored the king's call, too caught up in our own pursuits? Or are we like the one who came unprepared, thinking that mere presence is enough? The readings remind us that faith is not passive; it requires active engagement and a willingness to surrender to God's will. Like Jephthah, we may face difficult choices, but it is in these moments that our commitment to God is tested. Let us strive to live with integrity, preparing our hearts and lives to respond faithfully to God's call, knowing that many are called, but few are chosen.