Daily Readings - Fri Nov 02 2018

⁶And in this mountain shall the LORD of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.⁷And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations.⁸He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.⁹And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Revelation

Chapter 14

¹³And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.

Luke

Chapter 24

¹³And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.¹⁴And they talked together of all these things which had happened.¹⁵And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.¹⁶But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.¹⁷And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?¹⁸And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?¹⁹And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:²⁰And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.²¹But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.²²Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;²³And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.²⁴And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.²⁵Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:²⁶Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?²⁷And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.²⁸And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.²⁹But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.³⁰And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.³¹And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.³²And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?³³And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,³⁴Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.³⁵And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the hope of eternal life and the ultimate triumph of God’s plan. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear of a future feast on Mount Zion, where God will destroy death forever and wipe away the tears of his people. This passage is a beautiful expression of messianic hope, pointing to a time when suffering and sorrow will be no more. It reminds us that God’s ultimate plan is one of salvation and restoration. The second reading from Revelation reinforces this hope, declaring that those who die in the Lord are blessed and will find rest from their labors. This passage encourages us to trust in God’s promise of eternal life, even in the midst of trials and hardships. The Gospel from Luke tells the story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, who were filled with sadness and doubt after the crucifixion of Jesus. Their encounter with the risen Christ transformed their despair into joy and hope. Jesus opened their eyes to the truth of the Scriptures and revealed that his suffering and death were necessary steps toward his glory. This story reminds us that even in moments of uncertainty and grief, God is at work, and his plan is always one of love and redemption. The disciples’ hearts burned within them as Jesus explained the Scriptures, and their recognition of him in the breaking of bread symbolizes the Eucharistic encounter we have with Christ today. These readings call us to live with hope and trust in God’s plan, even when the path seems unclear. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, we are invited to walk with Christ, to listen to his Word, and to find him in the breaking of bread. Let us allow the promise of eternal life and the truth of the resurrection to transform our fears and sorrows into joy and hope. May we, like the disciples, rise up and return to Jerusalem with renewed hearts, ready to share the good news of God’s love and salvation.