Daily Readings - Sat Jul 14 2018
Isaiah
1In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple.2Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.3And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."4At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.5"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty."6Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.7With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."8Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
Matthew
24"A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.25It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub, how much more the members of his household!26"So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.31So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.32"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.33But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter profound moments of divine encounter and the call to courage. Isaiah's vision in the temple, where he beholds the glory of God and is purified by a seraphim, marks a pivotal moment of surrender to God's will. Similarly, in Matthew's Gospel, Jesus exhorts His disciples to fear not those who can harm the body but to trust in God's providence, emphasizing the importance of openly professing faith.
The context of Isaiah's vision is set against the backdrop of King Uzziah's death, a time of uncertainty, prompting Isaiah to reflect on his own unworthiness. Yet, through purification, he is empowered to respond to God's call. In Matthew, Jesus prepares His disciples for the challenges ahead, urging them to be bold and trust in God's care, knowing that even the smallest details of their lives are known to Him.
These readings unite in their call to embrace our mission with humility and courage. Isaiah's response and Jesus' teachings remind us to trust in God's providence, especially when faced with adversity. The moral lesson here is the strength found in surrendering to God's will, allowing us to overcome fear and doubt, and to live our faith openly.