Daily Readings - Tue Oct 30 2018
Ephesians
21Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.22Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.23For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.24Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.25Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;26That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,27That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.28So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.29For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:30For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.31For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.32This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.33Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
Luke
18Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it?19It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it.20And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?21It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of relationships, growth, and the Kingdom of God. In the first reading from Ephesians, St. Paul writes about the relationship between husbands and wives, emphasizing mutual respect, love, and submission. He draws a profound analogy between the union of marriage and the union of Christ and the Church. Just as Christ loves and sacrifices for the Church, husbands are called to love their wives selflessly, and wives are called to respect and support their husbands. This passage reminds us that marriage is not just a human institution but a sacred reflection of God’s love and care for His people.
In the Gospel, Jesus uses two simple yet powerful 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 teach us that the Kingdom of God is not about grandeur or immediate results but about small, consistent efforts that lead to transformation over time. Just as the leaven works quietly to change the dough, our faith and love can work quietly in the world to bring about God’s plan.
Both readings remind us that growth and transformation are gradual processes that require patience, love, and dedication. In our marriages, families, and communities, we are called to imitate Christ’s selfless love and to nurture one another with care and respect. Similarly, in our spiritual lives, we are called to trust in the slow but steady work of God’s grace, even when the results are not immediately visible. Let us ask for the grace to live out these teachings in our daily lives, trusting that our small acts of love and faithfulness can bring about great things in God’s time.