Daily Readings - Thu Aug 21 2025
Judges
29Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, and he passed over Gilead, and Manasseh, and passed over Mizpeh of Gilead, and from Mizpeh of Gilead he passed over unto the children of Ammon.30And Jephthah vowed a vow unto the LORD, and said, If thou shalt without fail deliver the children of Ammon into mine hands,31Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house to meet me, when I return in peace from the children of Ammon, shall surely be the LORD'S, and I will offer it up for a burnt offering.32So Jephthah passed over unto the children of Ammon to fight against them; and the LORD delivered them into his hands.33And he smote them from Aroer, even till thou come to Minnith, even twenty cities, and unto the plain of the vineyards, with a very great slaughter. Thus the children of Ammon were subdued before the children of Israel.34And Jephthah came to Mizpeh unto his house, and, behold, his daughter came out to meet him with timbrels and with dances: and she was his only child; beside her he had neither son nor daughter.35And it came to pass, when he saw her, that he rent his clothes, and said, Alas, my daughter! thou hast brought me very low, and thou art one of them that trouble me: for I have opened my mouth unto the LORD, and I cannot go back.36And she said unto him, My father, if thou hast opened thy mouth unto the LORD, do to me according to that which hath proceeded out of thy mouth; forasmuch as the LORD hath taken vengeance for thee of thine enemies, even of the children of Ammon.37And she said unto her father, Let this thing be done for me: let me alone two months, that I may go up and down upon the mountains, and bewail my virginity, I and my fellows.38And he said, Go. And he sent her away for two months: and she went with her companions, and bewailed her virginity upon the mountains.39And it came to pass at the end of two months, that she returned unto her father, who did with her according to his vow which he had vowed: and she knew no man. And it was a custom in Israel,
Matthew
1And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,2The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,3And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.4Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.5But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:6And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.7But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.8Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.9Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.10So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.11And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:12And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.13Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.14For many are called, but few are chosen.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful stories that invite us to reflect on the nature of faith, commitment, and the consequences of our choices. The first reading from Judges tells the tragic story of Jephthah, a judge of Israel, who makes a rash vow to God in exchange for victory over the Ammonites. Upon his triumph, his only daughter greets him with joy, unaware of the fate that awaits her. Jephthah, bound by his vow, sacrifices his daughter, and her only request is time to mourn her virginity before meeting her destiny. This story challenges us to consider the weight of our promises and the importance of discernment in our commitments to God.
The Gospel reading from Matthew presents a very different narrative, yet one that complements the first. Jesus tells the parable of the wedding feast, where those initially invited refuse to come, and others are gathered from the streets to fill the celebration. The king’s anger at the refusal of the invited guests reflects God’s disappointment with those who reject His invitation to life in the kingdom. The parable takes a deeper turn with the man who appears without a wedding garment, symbolizing the need for interior preparation and a life of faith to truly belong to the kingdom. This parable reminds us that being called is not enough; we must also respond with hearts and lives transformed by grace.
Both readings call us to examine our relationship with God and the choices we make in response to His call. Jephthah’s story warns us against making hasty or ill-considered commitments, while the parable of the wedding feast urges us to embrace the invitation to the kingdom with readiness and sincerity. In our daily lives, we are invited to live as children of God, to respond to His love, and to prepare our hearts for the eternal feast He has prepared for us. Let us ask ourselves: How do we respond to God’s invitation? Are we living in a way that reflects our commitment to Him? May we strive to be faithful and prepared, knowing that the choices we make have eternal consequences.