Well, I'm breaking my own rules today, and posting before I go to church, but I'll never even get home today until late...so here we go:

Reading 1: Isaiah 55:10-11

This one seems pretty simple to me. God is explaining to his prophet that his (God's) words are there to work good in the world. Maybe this is to help the prophet know that his work doesn't go completely unheeded. It seems like a reiteration that the bible is here for a purpose, it's not just that people accidentally got together and gathered the random stories from their wacky religion.

Reading 2: Romans 8:18-23

When I went and checked the footnotes from the NAB, and they cover this way better than I could, so here's a little cut and paste:

The glory that believers are destined to share with Christ far exceeds the sufferings of the present life. Paul considers the destiny of the created world to be linked with the future that belongs to the believers. As it shares in the penalty of corruption brought about by sin, so also will it share in the benefits of redemption and future glory that comprise the ultimate liberation of God's people (Romans 8:19-22). After patient endurance in steadfast expectation, the full harvest of the Spirit's presence will be realized. On earth believers enjoy the first fruits, i.e., the Spirit, as a guarantee of the total liberation of their bodies from the influence of the rebellious old self (Romans 8:23).

Gospel for today is: Matthew 13:1-23 or 13:1-9

Once again, the footnotes seem to cover this better than I can. Maybe I'm lazy today, but I have to admit, I am a little resistant to talk about these readings before I hear a sermon. Anyway, this is what the good folks at NAB have to say:

Since in Palestine sowing often preceded ploughing, much of the seed is scattered on ground that is unsuitable. Yet while much is wasted, the seed that falls on good ground bears fruit in extraordinarily large measure. The point of the parable is that, in spite of some failure because of opposition and indifference, the message of Jesus about the coming of the kingdom will have enormous success.

Also

See Mark 4:14-20; Luke 8:11-15. In this explanation of the parable the emphasis is on the various types of soil on which the seed falls, i.e., on the dispositions with which the preaching of Jesus is received. The second and third types particularly are explained in such a way as to support the view held by many scholars that the explanation derives not from Jesus but from early Christian reflection upon apostasy from the faith that was the consequence of persecution and worldliness respectively. Others, however, hold that the explanation may come basically from Jesus even though it was developed in the light of later Christian experience. The four types of persons envisaged are (1) those who never accept the word of the kingdom (Matthew 13:19); (2) those who believe for a while but fall away because of persecution (Matthew 13:20-21); (3) those who believe, but in whom the word is choked by worldly anxiety and the seduction of riches (Matthew 13:22); (4) those who respond to the word and produce fruit abundantly (Matthew 13:23).

Well, my new favorite news story goes on: Anglican Traditionalist Bishop Argues against Hasty Reactions