Daily Devotion

Collect of the Day
O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Scripture Reading of the Day, Matthew 13:24-34b
24 He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his field; 25 but while everybody was asleep, an enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and then went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared as well. 27 And the slaves of the householder came and said to him, "Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? Where, then, did these weeds come from?' 28 He answered, "An enemy has done this.' The slaves said to him, "Then do you want us to go and gather them?' 29 But he replied, "No; for in gathering the weeds you would uproot the wheat along with them. 30 Let both of them grow together until the harvest; and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Collect the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.' " 31 He put before them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; 32 it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches." 33 He told them another parable: "The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed in with three measures of flour until all of it was leavened." 34 Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them nothing.


Reflection

From “Planetary Theology” by Tisa Balasuryia

Ours is a period of rapid and profound change. The coming years will see the most unprecedented changes if the present trends of evolution and revolution continue. We shall see either the growing maturation of the human race in global fellowship or destruction on a scale hitherto unknown. The peoples of the world are groping toward a new age of greater justice, while the forces of injustice are also gathering strength.

The church harbors a germ of hope for humankind. This is due, first of all, to the universality and radicalism of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The scriptures can present a message that is capable of motivating believers to respond meaningfully to the challenge of persons and of the whole world system in crisis. In spite of its accommodation to the world powers, the Christian churches represent an enormous reservoir of good will that can be harnessed for justice and peace. Christians are at the centers of power and decision-making. They can influence the cause of future human evolution. The task is an urgent one. Millions of lives depend on it. But it cannot be achieved without a deep transformation of all Christians, a process of death/resurrection: dying to an exploitative world in order to rise with the whole of humankind in justice, sharing, and personal fulfillment.

Blessings,
Mthr. Mary Lou