Daily Readings - Sun Aug 21 2022

¹⁸For I know their works and their thoughts: it shall come, that I will gather all nations and tongues; and they shall come, and see my glory.¹⁹And I will set a sign among them, and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, that draw the bow, to Tubal, and Javan, to the isles afar off, that have not heard my fame, neither have seen my glory; and they shall declare my glory among the Gentiles.²⁰And they shall bring all your brethren for an offering unto the LORD out of all nations upon horses, and in chariots, and in litters, and upon mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the LORD, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the LORD.²¹And I will also take of them for priests and for Levites, saith the LORD.

Hebrews

Chapter 12

⁵And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:⁶For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.⁷If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?¹¹Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.¹²Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;¹³And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.

Luke

Chapter 13

²²And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem.²³Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them,²⁴Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.²⁵When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:²⁶Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets.²⁷But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.²⁸There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.²⁹And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.³⁰And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on God’s universal call, the nature of discipline, and the urgency of living a life of purpose and faith. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a vision of God gathering all nations and peoples to Himself, a sign of His universal plan of salvation. This passage emphasizes that God’s glory is not confined to one place or people but is meant to be shared with all. It reminds us that we are called to be part of this universal mission, bringing God’s light to a world in need. The second reading from Hebrews takes us deeper into the nature of God’s love and discipline. It reminds us that suffering and correction are not signs of God’s absence but rather of His love. Just as a father disciplines his children to help them grow, God allows trials in our lives to purify us and draw us closer to Him. This passage calls us to embrace discipline as a path to holiness, trusting that the struggles we endure will ultimately bear fruit in peace and justice. In the Gospel, Jesus challenges us to examine our commitment to following Him. When asked about the number of those who will be saved, He shifts the focus from numbers to the narrow gate through which we must enter. Jesus warns that many will try to enter but will fail because they are complacent or lukewarm in their faith. This is a call to live with intentionality, to strive for a life of discipleship, and to avoid the temptation to rely on superficial associations with God rather than a deep, personal relationship. These readings together remind us that our faith is not a passive endeavor but an active journey. We are called to live with purpose, embracing both the mission of sharing God’s love with the world and the discipline required to grow in holiness. Let us ask ourselves: Am I living a life that reflects the universal call of God’s love? Am I open to the discipline that shapes me into the person He desires me to be? Let us strive to enter through the narrow gate, trusting that the path, though challenging, leads to eternal life.