Daily Readings - Sun Aug 07 2022
Hebrews
1Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.2For by it the people of old received their commendation.8By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.9By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise.10For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.11By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised.12Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.
Luke
35"Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning,36and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.37Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.38If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!39But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into.40You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of faith, trust, and preparedness. In the first reading from the Book of Wisdom, we hear about the night of the Passover, when the Israelites trusted in God’s promises and were spared the destruction that befell the Egyptians. This passage reminds us that faith is not just intellectual assent but a deep trust in God’s plan, even when the future is uncertain. The Israelites’ peace amidst chaos was rooted in their confidence in God’s covenant and His faithfulness.
The second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews elaborates on this theme of faith. The author defines faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not apparent.” Abraham and Sarah are held up as examples of such faith. Despite the impossibility of their situation—Abraham being called to an unknown land and Sarah conceiving a child in her old age—they trusted God’s promises. Their story shows that true faith leads to action, even when the path ahead is unclear. This reading encourages us to embrace the same kind of faith, trusting that God is always faithful to His promises.
In the Gospel, Jesus uses the parable of the servants waiting for their master’s return to emphasize the importance of vigilance and readiness. The servants who are prepared and faithful in their duties are rewarded, while those who are complacent risk being caught off guard. This passage is a call to live with our hearts and minds focused on God, always ready to respond to His call. It reminds us that our lives as Christians are not about passively waiting but about actively living in anticipation of God’s presence and action in our lives.
These readings, when taken together, challenge us to cultivate a deeper trust in God and to live with purpose and vigilance. Just as the Israelites trusted in the Passover, and Abraham and Sarah trusted in God’s promises, we too are called to trust in God’s plan for our lives. And just as the servants in the Gospel were called to be ready for their master’s return, we are called to be prepared for the ways God may call us to serve or to encounter Him. Let us strive to live each day with faith, hope, and a willingness to follow wherever God leads, knowing that He is always faithful and always with us.