Daily Readings - Sun Aug 10 2025
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 readiness. In the first reading from the Book of Wisdom, we hear about the night of the Passover, a moment of salvation for God’s people. The Israelites, trusting in God’s promises, were prepared to act faithfully, even in the face of uncertainty. This passage reminds us that God’s justice and mercy are at work in the world, and we are called to trust in His plan, even when the future seems unclear.
The second reading from the Letter to the Hebrews deepens this theme by defining faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Abraham and Sarah are held up as examples of those who trusted God’s promises, even when they seemed impossible. Abraham left his home without knowing where he was going, and Sarah conceived a child in her old age, both acts of faith that trusted in God’s fidelity. This passage challenges us to examine our own faith—do we trust God enough to step into the unknown, believing that He will fulfill His promises?
In the Gospel, Jesus uses the parable of the servants waiting for their master’s return to emphasize the importance of being prepared. The servants who are vigilant and ready are blessed, while those who are unprepared risk missing the master’s arrival. This teaching is not just about the end times; it’s about how we live each day. Jesus calls us to be spiritually alert, to keep our hearts and lives oriented toward Him, so that we are ready to welcome Him whenever He comes—whether at the end of our lives or in the unexpected moments of grace that He offers us daily.
These readings together remind us that faith is not just a feeling or an idea; it is a way of life. It requires us to trust in God’s plan, even when we don’t see the full picture, and to live with our hearts and minds fixed on eternal realities. As we go about our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Am I living with faith and trust in God? Am I prepared to meet Him, whether in the ordinary moments or in the extraordinary? May we, like the just and faithful servants, be found ready and vigilant, trusting in the Lord who is always faithful.