Daily Readings - Tue Oct 25 2022
Ephesians
21Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.22Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.23For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.24Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her26to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself.29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church--30for we are members of his body.31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."32This is a profound mystery--but I am talking about Christ and the church.33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Luke
18Then Jesus asked, "What is the kingdom of God like? What shall I compare it to?19It is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches."20Again he asked, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to?21It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we hear two powerful reflections on growth, transformation, and the nature of God’s kingdom. The first reading from Ephesians emphasizes the sacred relationship between husbands and wives, calling them to live in mutual submission and love, mirroring the relationship between Christ and the Church. The passage reminds us that marriage is not just a human institution but a sacrament that reflects the love and sacrifice of Christ for his bride, the Church. Husbands are called to love their wives selflessly, just as Christ loves the Church, while wives are invited to embrace their role with reverence and respect. This passage challenges us to see marriage as a vocation, a way of living out the Gospel in our daily lives.
The Gospel from Luke offers two parables about the kingdom of God: the mustard seed and the leaven. These images remind us that God’s kingdom often begins small and unnoticed but grows into something extraordinary. The mustard seed, though tiny, becomes a great tree that shelters all who come to it. Similarly, the leaven, though hidden in dough, transforms the entire batch. These parables teach us about the quiet, transformative power of God’s work in the world. Just as the mustard seed and leaven bring life and nourishment, our faith, though it may seem small or insignificant, has the power to transform our lives and the lives of others.
Both readings invite us to reflect on how we live out our faith in our relationships and in the world. The Ephesians passage calls us to live with humility, love, and mutual respect, recognizing that our relationships are a reflection of God’s love. The parables in Luke remind us to trust in God’s power to grow and transform, even when we feel small or inadequate. Let us ask ourselves: Are we allowing God’s love to transform our relationships? Are we trusting in the quiet, hidden ways God is working in our lives and in the world? May we embrace the humility and trust that allows God’s kingdom to flourish in us and through us.