Daily Readings - Sat Feb 24 2018

First Reading - Deuteronomy 26.16-19

¹⁶Today the Lord your God has instructed you to carry out these commandments and judgments, and to keep and fulfill them, with all your heart and with all your soul¹⁷Today, you have chosen the Lord to be your God, so that you may walk in his ways, and keep his ceremonies and commandments and judgments, and obey his command¹⁸Today, the Lord has chosen you, so that you may be his particular people, just as he has spoken to you, and so that you may keep all his precepts¹⁹and so that he may cause you to be more exalted than all the nations which he has created, for the sake of his own praise and name and glory, in order that you may be a holy people for the Lord your God, just as he has spoken.

Gospel - Matthew 5.43-48

Matthew

Chapter 5

⁴³You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and you shall have hatred for your enemy.⁴⁴But I say to you: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. And pray for those who persecute and slander you⁴⁵In this way, you shall be sons of your Father, who is in heaven. He causes his sun to rise upon the good and the bad, and he causes it to rain upon the just and the unjust⁴⁶For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Do not even tax collectors behave this way⁴⁷And if you greet only your brothers, what more have you done? Do not even the pagans behave this way⁴⁸Therefore, be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we are reminded of God’s call to live a life of deep commitment and love. The first reading from Deuteronomy emphasizes the Israelites’ covenant with God, where they are called to follow His commandments with all their heart and soul. This passage highlights the special relationship between God and His people, a relationship rooted in fidelity and obedience. The Gospel from Matthew takes this a step further, as Jesus challenges us to go beyond loving only those who love us. He calls us to love our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us, and to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. This teaching pushes us to move beyond superficial relationships and to embrace a radical love that mirrors God’s own love for the world. The connection between these readings lies in their emphasis on living out our faith in a way that reflects God’s holiness and love. In Deuteronomy, the Israelites are set apart as a holy people, chosen by God for a special purpose. In Matthew, Jesus calls us to live out this holiness by loving even those who may not deserve it. Both readings remind us that our relationship with God is not just about rituals or rules, but about living in a way that reflects His character. Just as the Israelites were called to walk in God’s ways, we too are called to live as children of God, imitating His mercy and love. Applying this to our daily lives, we are challenged to examine how we treat others, especially those who may be difficult or hostile toward us. Do we pray for those who wrong us, or do we hold grudges? Do we go out of our way to show kindness to those who may not reciprocate it? Jesus’ words remind us that true holiness is not about being better than others, but about being like God—merciful, compassionate, and generous. As we strive to live out this radical love, we become a reflection of God’s perfection in a world that often lacks it. Let us ask ourselves today: Am I living in a way that truly reflects God’s love? Am I choosing to love even when it’s hard? In doing so, we not only fulfill our covenant with God, but we also become a light of hope and holiness in a world that desperately needs it.