The Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time – First Reading – 08/16/2026

We have a poetic exhortation from the Book of Isaiah that speaks to inclusion, covenant fidelity, and the universal scope of God’s salvation.

Transcript

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Howdy, and welcome to Bob the Lector. I'm Bob. The purpose of this podcast is to inspire Catholic lectors to bring their proclamation of God's Word to life. This episode is for the August 16th, Sunday Mass's first reading. It's the twentieth Sunday in ordinary time, year A. A reading from the book of the Prophet Isaiah. Thus says the Lord, observe what is right, do what is just, for my salvation is about to come. My justice about to be revealed. The foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, ministering to him, loving the name of the Lord, and becoming his servants, all who keep the Sabbath free from profanation and hold to my covenant, them I will bring to my holy mountain, and make joyful in my house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar, for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. The word of the Lord. Welcome to the twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time, y'all. We're back with our old friend the prophet Isaiah. This beautiful poem opens the final section of the book of Isaiah with a call for justice and inclusivity. So let's get to it, shall we? I always start my own lecture practice with preparation, which is not the external proclamation, but the internal discernment of the message. What is God saying to us? What is his purpose? What is the meaning of this reading? Because if it doesn't mean anything to us, how can we as lectors make it mean anything to the congregation before us? Some historical background might be interesting. This verse begins the final section of the book of Isaiah, often referred to as the third or treeto Isaiah. While second or deutero Isaiah addresses Israel during the Babylonian exile, third Isaiah witnesses the struggles of the post-exile community, now back in their homeland. At the time this was written, the temple had been rebuilt. This opening poem calls to keep the Sabbath, hold fast to the covenant, and maintain God's holy mountain, Mount Moriah, the site of the Jerusalem temple, as a house of prayer. It's a prophetic exhortation in which Third Isaiah gives instructions for those who wish to live according to God's word and holy covenant. The text speaks of inclusion, covenant fidelity, and the universal scope of God's salvation. In ancient Israel, membership in God's covenant was often associated with ancestry. Here the prophet pronounces that foreigners who embrace the covenant will also share in God's blessing. For many listeners at the time, the idea that Gentiles could be welcomed onto God's holy mountain and into temple worship would have been radical, even scandalous. This parallels our second reading, as Paul describes himself as the apostle to the Gentiles. By the way, our first reading was written about 500 or so years before the second. One of the tenets of public speaking is to know your audience. Who is the ideal recipient of this message? Many people feel distant, unworthy, forgotten, or excluded. Here, God specifically addresses those who might feel they do not belong. In Isaiah's day, foreigners may have felt unwelcome in the temple. Before you today sit many feeling the same way, maybe because of age, citizenship, marital status, state of sin, sexual identity, physical or mental handicap, etc. God says they are welcome and belong. By the way, insert small pauses at all commas, semicolons, and periods, even if I don't say so. There are some readings where we read through some punctuation, but this isn't one of them, so I don't want to hold us up every time we run into one. What do you get from this reading? We begin. Thus says the Lord, observe what is right, do what is just, for my salvation is about to come, my justice about to be revealed. Note that before God speaks of salvation, he speaks first of justice, and then in case you missed it, repeats that justice is on its way. Speak strongly and with conviction when you say, Thus says the Lord. This is God talking here. Use direct eye contact with the congregation for the rest of this sentence, if you can manage to memorize it. See the parallel construction of observe what is right and do what is just, as well as, for my salvation is about to come, my justice about to be revealed. Use a throat tremble if you can do so authentically when you say, My justice. Convert those two words from a declarative statement to a question. Move to an impending tone when you answer that question with about to be revealed. Emphasize observe, right, just salvation, come about and revealed. Insert a small pause after justice. Next we have the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, ministering to him, loving the name of the Lord, and becoming his servants. All who keep the Sabbath free from profanation and hold to my covenant. I really like how God doesn't tell us Gentile foreigners to travel to his mountain. He brings us to it, that we will joyfully worship him. This is a break from the historical belief of the Israelites that they, as the chosen people, had the exclusive relationship with God. Third Isaiah breaks with that understanding, telling them that all those who love the Lord and find a way to serve him will be welcomed on God's mountain. God demands inclusion, not exclusion. Use a warm and welcoming tone for the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, and a gentle one for ministering to him, a tender one for loving the name of the Lord, and a firmer one for and becoming his servants. Shift to a strong tone when you read All who keep the Sabbath free from profanation and hold to my covenant. Finish this clause with a smile and joyous tone. Use a throat tremble for joyful if you can do so authentically. Highlight foreigners, join, ministering, loving, becoming all free, hold them and joyful. Insert small pauses after covenant and mountain. We close with their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar. For my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples. This again emphasizes the inclusivity of God's call. Use a reverent tone for their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable on my altar. Shift to a tone of anticipation and slight suspense when you read for my house. Convert those three words from a declarative statement to a question. Answer that question with a strong tone and continue joy with shall be called a house of prayer. Read the last three words for all peoples with a strong tone, warm tenor, and inclusive demeanor. Keep smiling and use direct eye contact with your congregation, so they know you're talking to them. Stress burnt offerings, sacrifices, acceptable, house, prayer, and especially all. Insert a full pause after house and a small pause after prayer. Here's a thought for a completely different way to present this reading. The word my, referring to the Lord, of course, appears seven times. Consider emphasizing each my to drive home the point that this is God speaking, as in my salvation, my justice, my covenant, etc. Let me know what you think if it works with your style. Well, that's all for now. Thanks for listening. My hope is these ideas will help you find your authentic voice. So your proclamation of God's word will transform your listeners, whether they're in pain and broken or just going through the motions. Because the good news deserves great delivery. Visit us on the web at bobthelector.org and we'll see you at the Ambo. By the way, if you like what you hear and are so inclined, please give us five stars on Apple Podcasts and forward this podcast to your fellow lectures, your pastor, and your liturgy director. Thanks so much.