Daily Readings - Sun Aug 21 2022

¹⁸"And I, because of their actions and their imaginations, am about to come and gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see my glory.¹⁹"I will set a sign among them, and I will send some of those who survive to the nations-to Tarshish, to the Libyans and Lydians (famous as archers), to Tubal and Greece, and to the distant islands that have not heard of my fame or seen my glory. They will proclaim my glory among the nations.²⁰And they will bring all your brothers, from all the nations, to my holy mountain in Jerusalem as an offering to the LORD -on horses, in chariots and wagons, and on mules and camels," says the LORD. "They will bring them, as the Israelites bring their grain offerings, to the temple of the LORD in ceremonially clean vessels.²¹And I will select some of them also to be priests and Levites," says the LORD.

Hebrews

Chapter 12

⁵And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons: "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,⁶because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."⁷Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father?¹¹No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.¹²Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.¹³"Make level paths for your feet," so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

Luke

Chapter 13

²²Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem.²³Someone asked him, "Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?"²⁴He said to them, "Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to.²⁵Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, 'Sir, open the door for us.'"But he will answer, 'I don't know you or where you come from.'²⁶"Then you will say, 'We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.'²⁷"But he will reply, 'I don't know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!'²⁸"There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out.²⁹People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God.³⁰Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will 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.