Daily Readings - Sat Mar 09 2019
Isaiah
9Then you will call, and the Lord will heed; you will cry out, and he will say, "Here I am," if you take away the chains from your midst, and cease to point your finger and to speak what is not beneficial10When you pour out your life for the hungry, and you satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light will rise up in darkness, and your darkness will be like the midday11And the Lord will give you rest continually, and he will fill your soul with splendor, and he will free your bones, and you will be like a watered garden and like a fountain of water whose waters will not fail12And places that have been desolate for ages will be built up by you. You will raise a foundation for generation after generation. And you will be called the repairer of hedges, who turns the roadways into quiet places13If you restrain your foot on the Sabbath, from doing your own will on my holy day, and if you call the Sabbath delightful, and the Holy of the Lord glorious, and if you glorify him, while you do not act according to your own ways, and your own will is not found, not even to speak a word14then you will find delight in the Lord, and I will take you up, above the heights of the earth, and I will nourish you with the inheritance of Jacob, your father. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken
Luke
27And after these things, he went out, and he saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the customs office. And he said to him, "Follow me.28And leaving behind everything, rising up, he followed him29And Levi made a great feast for him in his own house. And there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others, who were sitting at table with them30But the Pharisees and scribes were murmuring, saying to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?31And responding, Jesus said to them: "It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who have maladies32I have not come to call the just, but sinners to repentance.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of true faith and how it should shape our actions and relationships. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a call to live out our faith through acts of justice and compassion. The prophet condemns empty religious practices, such as fasting, when they are not accompanied by care for the marginalized. He emphasizes that true fasting involves loosening the chains of oppression, feeding the hungry, and satisfying the afflicted. Isaiah also reminds us of the importance of observing the Sabbath as a day of rest and glorifying God, not as a day to pursue our own desires. This passage challenges us to examine whether our faith is merely a set of rituals or if it transforms how we live and interact with others.
In the Gospel, Luke presents us with a scene that illustrates Jesus’ mission to reach out to those on the fringes of society. Jesus calls Levi, a tax collector, who was considered a sinner by the Pharisees. Instead of shunning Levi, Jesus shares a meal with him and other tax collectors and sinners. When criticized by the Pharisees and scribes, Jesus responds by saying that he has come not for the righteous but for sinners. This encounter reminds us that faith is not about isolating ourselves from those who are imperfect but about embracing them with love and compassion. Jesus’ actions show that true faith is about healing and restoring relationships, not about judging or excluding others.
These readings call us to reflect on how we live out our faith in our daily lives. Are we like the Pharisees, focusing on outward appearances and rules, or are we like Jesus, reaching out to those who need healing and love? Isaiah reminds us that our faith must be expressed in concrete actions that uplift the downtrodden and honor God. Let us ask ourselves: Do we use our resources to feed the hungry and care for the afflicted? Do we observe the Sabbath as a day to glorify God and find rest? And do we, like Jesus, embrace those who feel excluded or marginalized? May these readings inspire us to live out our faith with authenticity, compassion, and a commitment to justice.