Daily Readings - Thu Aug 18 2022
Ezekiel
23And I will vindicate the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, and which you have profaned among them. And the nations will know that I am the LORD, declares the Lord GOD, when through you I vindicate my holiness before their eyes.24I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land.25I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you.26And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.27And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.28You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God.
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, Ezekiel and Matthew present powerful messages about God's invitation and our response. Ezekiel 36:23-28 speaks of God's promise to restore Israel, offering cleansing and a new heart, symbolizing spiritual renewal. Matthew 22:1-14 uses a parable to illustrate the kingdom of heaven as a wedding invitation, where initial invitees refuse, leading to others being invited, emphasizing the importance of accepting God's call.
The context of Ezekiel's prophecy is one of hope during exile, reassuring the Israelites of their future restoration. Matthew's parable, set in Jesus' teachings, highlights the consequences of rejecting God's invitation and the importance of spiritual preparedness. Both readings underscore the transformative power of God's grace and the need for a willing response.
Reflecting on these readings, we are reminded to embrace God's invitation in our lives. Like Ezekiel's promise, we are offered spiritual renewal. Like Matthew's parable, we must respond with openness and preparedness. The moral lesson is clear: accept God's invitation with humility and readiness, allowing His grace to transform us. Let us live in response to His call, ensuring our hearts are prepared to receive His love and guidance.