Readings for the Day:
Isaiah 56:1, 6-8:  Isaiah proclaims God's vision of a community where all who faithfully seek the Lord—including foreigners once considered outsiders—are welcomed into God's covenant. God's house is to be "a house of prayer for all peoples," revealing that God's saving purpose extends far beyond the boundaries of Israel.
Romans 11:1-2, 29-32:  Paul reminds the church that God has not rejected Israel and that God's gifts and calling are irrevocable. Through God's mercy, both Jews and Gentiles discover that salvation is a gift of grace, not something earned, so that all people might receive God's compassion.
Matthew 15:10-28:  Jesus teaches that true purity comes from the heart rather than external religious practices, challenging assumptions about what truly defiles a person. His encounter with the persistent Canaanite woman demonstrates that faith can be found in unexpected places and reveals the widening reach of God's grace beyond the traditional boundaries of Israel.

Questions To Ponder:

1— Who might God be inviting us to welcome more fully into our community of faith? (Isaiah 56:1, 6-8) 
2— How does remembering God's mercy toward us shape the way we extend mercy to others?  (Romans 11:1-2, 29-32)
3— When have you seen God at work in someone or somewhere you did not expect?  (Matthew 15:10-28)
4—How do these texts speak to you today?
 
 
 
 
 
Prayer:  You are great, O God, and greatly to be praised.  You have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.  Grant that we may believe in you, call upon you, know you, and serve you.  Amen.