Daily Readings - Thu Aug 19 2021
Judges
29Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah. He crossed Gilead and Manasseh, passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from there he advanced against the Ammonites.30And Jephthah made a vow to the LORD: "If you give the Ammonites into my hands,31whatever comes out of the door of my house to meet me when I return in triumph from the Ammonites will be the LORD 's, and I will sacrifice it as a burnt offering."32Then Jephthah went over to fight the Ammonites, and the LORD gave them into his hands.33He devastated twenty towns from Aroer to the vicinity of Minnith, as far as Abel Keramim. Thus Israel subdued Ammon.34When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, who should come out to meet him but his daughter, dancing to the sound of tambourines! She was an only child. Except for her he had neither son nor daughter.35When he saw her, he tore his clothes and cried, "Oh! My daughter! You have made me miserable and wretched, because I have made a vow to the LORD that I cannot break."36"My father," she replied, "you have given your word to the LORD. Do to me just as you promised, now that the LORD has avenged you of your enemies, the Ammonites.37But grant me this one request," she said. "Give me two months to roam the hills and weep with my friends, because I will never marry."38"You may go," he said. And he let her go for two months. She and the girls went into the hills and wept because she would never marry.39After the two months, she returned to her father and he did to her as he had vowed. And she was a virgin. From this comes the Israelite custom
Matthew
1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying:2"The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.3He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.4"Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'5"But they paid no attention and went off--one to his field, another to his business.6The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them.7The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.8"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.9Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.'10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.11"But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes.12'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless.13"Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'14"For many are invited, but few are chosen."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on the nature of commitment, faith, and the consequences of our choices. The first reading from Judges tells the story of Jephthah, a judge of Israel, who makes a solemn vow to God in exchange for victory over the Ammonites. Tragically, the first to greet him upon his return is his only daughter, and Jephthah, bound by his vow, must sacrifice her. This story underscores the gravity of our commitments and the often-unexpected ways they shape our lives. The second reading, from Matthew's Gospel, presents Jesus' parable of the wedding feast. A king invites guests to his son's wedding, but they refuse. He then invites others, both good and bad, to fill the feast. However, one guest is cast out for not wearing a wedding garment, highlighting the importance of being prepared to respond to God's invitation.
Both readings, though distinct in context, share a common theme: the call to faithfulness and the consequences of our response. Jephthah's story reminds us that our commitments, even when difficult, have profound implications. The parable of the wedding feast, on the other hand, challenges us to consider how we respond to God's invitation. The guests who refused the invitation represent those who are indifferent or complacent, while the one without a wedding garment symbolizes the lack of preparation for a life of faith. Together, these readings call us to examine our own relationship with God and the seriousness with which we approach our spiritual lives.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How do we respond to God's invitations in our lives? Are we like the guests who ignored the king's call, too caught up in our own pursuits? Or are we like the one who came unprepared, thinking that mere presence is enough? The readings remind us that faith is not passive; it requires active engagement and a willingness to surrender to God's will. Like Jephthah, we may face difficult choices, but it is in these moments that our commitment to God is tested. Let us strive to live with integrity, preparing our hearts and lives to respond faithfully to God's call, knowing that many are called, but few are chosen.