Daily Readings - Tue Oct 29 2024
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 are invited to reflect on the transformative power of love and faith in our lives. The first reading from Ephesians presents a vision of marital relationships rooted in mutual submission and love, where husbands and wives are called to mirror the self-giving love of Christ for His Church. This passage, while often misunderstood, emphasizes the unity and sacrificial love that should characterize Christian relationships. The Gospel from Luke offers two parables—the mustard seed and the leaven—that illustrate the Kingdom of God as something small yet powerful, capable of transforming the world. These images remind us that even the smallest acts of faith and love can have a profound impact.
The readings are connected by the theme of growth and transformation. In Ephesians, the relationship between spouses is not just a human institution but a sacred reflection of Christ’s love for the Church. This relationship is meant to grow and flourish, much like the mustard seed that becomes a great tree. Similarly, the leaven in the Gospel works quietly yet effectively to transform the entire batch of dough, just as our everyday actions, inspired by faith, can shape the world around us. Both readings encourage us to see our daily lives as opportunities for spiritual growth and to trust in the power of God to bring about change.
As we apply these readings to our lives, let us remember that our relationships and actions, no matter how small they may seem, are part of a larger story of God’s Kingdom. Whether in our families, workplaces, or communities, we are called to embody the love and humility of Christ. Like the mustard seed and the leaven, our faith can grow and spread, transforming not only our own lives but also the lives of those around us. May we embrace this call to be instruments of God’s love and trust in His promise to bring forth abundant life from even the smallest beginnings.