Author: THERESA JACOBSON

Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost	October 11, 2026
Prayer of the Day
O Lord, sustain your Church with your perpetual mercy. Without you, in our weakness we will surely fail. Therefore, keep us ever by your help from all things hurtful, and lead us to all things profitable to our salvation; through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
First Reading: Isaiah 25:6-9 
^6On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. ^7And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. ^8He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. ^9It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”
Psalm 23 
^1The Lord | is my shepherd;*
	I shall not | be in want.
^2He makes me lie down | in green pastures*
	and leads me be- | side still waters.
^3He re- | vives my soul*
	and guides me along right pathways | for his name’s sake.
^4Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall | fear no evil;*
	for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they | comfort me.
^5You spread a table before me in the presence of those who | trouble me;*
	you have anointed my head with oil, and my cup is | running over.
^6Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days | of my life,*
	and I will dwell in the house of the | Lord forever.
Psalm 23 (ESV)
^1The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
^2He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.
^3He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
^4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
^5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
^6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Second Reading: Philippians 4:4-13 
^4Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. ^5Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; ^6do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ^7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. ^8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. ^9What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me — practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. ^10I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. ^11Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. ^12I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. ^13I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
Gospel: Matthew 22:1-14
^1Again Jesus spoke to {the chief priests and the Pharisees} in parables, saying, ^2“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son, ^3and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding feast, but they would not come. ^4Again he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding feast.’” ^5But they paid no attention and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, ^6while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them. ^7The king was angry, and he sent his troops and destroyed those murderers and burned their city. ^8Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding feast is ready, but those invited were not worthy. ^9Go therefore to the main roads and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find.’ ^10And those servants went out into the roads and gathered all whom they found, both bad and good. So the wedding hall was filled with guests. ^11But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. ^12And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. ^13Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ ^14For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Next Week’s Readings:
Isaiah 45:1-7; Psalm 96:1-9; 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10; Matthew 22:15-22