Deacon Randy Kiel joins the Catholic Morning Show for his weekly look ahead at Sunday's first and second readings. He unpacks Isaiah 55's urgent call to seek the Lord while he may be found, and shows how God's mercy toward the repentant carries an expectation that we reconcile with one another — a foreshadowing of the Lord's Prayer. Deacon Randy then turns to Philippians, written by Saint Paul under house arrest as he weighed his own death, and to Paul's charge that we conduct ourselves in a way worthy of the Gospel of Christ.
Deacon Randy Kiel returns to the Catholic Morning Show with Bo Bonner and Deacon Mark Campbell for his weekly preparation for Sunday Mass, this week on the first and second readings.
He begins in Isaiah 55, reading the prophets as living word rather than closed history. The remnant of Israel — the portion that stayed faithful — has responded to God's invitation, and now receives a command: call upon him, because you need him for salvation. Deacon Randy walks through the prophet's summons to the scoundrel and the wicked to abandon not only their ways but their very thoughts, and to turn to a God who is generous and forgiving. He draws out the implication that foreshadows the Lord's Prayer: if God has forgiven us, he expects us to forgive others, and repentance before God goes hand in hand with reconciliation among ourselves. Forgiveness is never granted for one alone — it is for the whole body.
Turning to the second reading from Philippians, Deacon Randy sets the scene of Saint Paul writing under house arrest, likely in Rome and likely with Timothy's help, facing the real possibility of death any day. Paul admits that dying would be his gain, but is honest that he does not feel finished proclaiming the Gospel of Christ — which is precisely why the Body of Christ must carry the work forward. The reading closes with Paul's charge to conduct ourselves in a way worthy of the Gospel of Christ: walking worthily, in accordance with the Church Christ left behind, representing the whole of Christ rather than a single verse.
Sunday's responsorial: the Lord is near to all who call upon him.
Heard on the Catholic Morning Show, weekdays at 7 a.m. Central on Iowa Catholic Radio. More at IowaCatholicRadio.com.
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