Daily Readings - Wed Oct 26 2022
Ephesians
1Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.2Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;)3That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth.4And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.5Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;6Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;7With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:8Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.9And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
Luke
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
In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on how our daily actions and choices align with God’s will. The first reading from Ephesians reminds us of the importance of living out our faith in our relationships and work. It calls children to obey their parents, parents to nurture their children with kindness, and servants and masters to treat each other with respect and fairness. This passage emphasizes that our actions are not just about human relationships but are ultimately directed toward God, who sees and rewards the good we do.
The Gospel from Luke shifts our focus to the ultimate goal of our lives: entering the kingdom of God. Jesus warns us that the path to salvation is narrow and requires effort and perseverance. He cautions against complacency, reminding us that merely being familiar with him or attending to religious practices is not enough. The dramatic image of people being excluded from the kingdom while others from all directions take their places at the table underscores the universality of God’s invitation and the need for humility and openness to His grace.
These readings remind us that living a life pleasing to God is both a moral and spiritual endeavor. While we strive to live with integrity in our relationships and work, we must also keep our eyes fixed on the narrow gate that leads to eternal life. Let us ask ourselves: Are we living in a way that reflects God’s love and justice? Are we putting in the effort to grow in holiness and deepen our relationship with Him? May we embrace the challenge of living as true disciples, trusting in God’s mercy and striving to enter the kingdom with hearts open to His will.