Daily Readings - Mon Mar 11 2019
Leviticus
1The Lord spoke to Moses, saying2Speak to the entire assembly of the sons of Israel, and you shall say to them: Be holy, for I, the Lord your God, am holy11You shall not steal. You shall not lie. Neither shall anyone deceive his neighbor12You shall not commit perjury in my name, nor shall you pollute the name of your God. I am the Lord13You shall not slander your neighbor, nor shall you oppress him by violence. The wages of a hired hand, you shall not delay with you until tomorrow14You shall not speak evil of the deaf, nor shall you place a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear the Lord your God, for I am the Lord15You shall not do what is unjust, nor shall you judge unjustly. You shall not consider the reputation of the poor, nor shall you honor the countenance of the powerful. Judge your neighbor justly16You shall not be a detractor, nor a whisperer, among the people. You shall not stand against the blood of your neighbor. I am the Lord17You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but reprove him openly, lest you have sin over him18Do not seek revenge, neither should you be mindful of the injury of your fellow citizens. You shall love your friend as yourself. I am the Lord
Matthew
31But when the Son of man will have arrived in his majesty, and all the Angels with him, then he will sit upon the seat of his majesty32And all the nations shall be gathered together before him. And he shall separate them from one another, just as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats33And he shall station the sheep, indeed, on his right, but the goats on his left34Then the King shall say to those who will be on his right: ‘Come, you blessed of my Father. Possess the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world35For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in36naked, and you covered me; sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me.37Then the just will answer him, saying: ‘Lord, when have we see you hungry, and fed you; thirsty, and given you drink38And when have we seen you a stranger, and taken you in? Or naked, and covered you39Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and visit to you?40And in response, the King shall say to them, ‘Amen I say to you, whenever you did this for one of these, the least of my brothers, you did it for me.41Then he shall also say, to those who will be on his left: ‘Depart from me, you accursed ones, into the eternal fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels42For I was hungry, and you did not give me to eat; I was thirsty, and you did not give me to drink43I was a stranger and you did not take me in; naked, and you did not cover me; sick and in prison, and you did not visit me.44Then they will also answer him, saying: ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to you?45Then he shall respond to them by saying: ‘Amen I say to you, whenever you did not do it to one of these least, neither did you do it to me.46And these shall go into eternal punishment, but the just shall go into eternal life.
Sermon
The readings today remind us of the profound connection between our actions and our relationship with God. In the first reading from Leviticus, we are called to holiness through specific moral guidelines: not stealing, not lying, not oppressing others, and treating all people justly. These commands are not just rules; they are a way of life that reflects the holiness of God. The passage emphasizes that true holiness is lived out in our everyday interactions with others, especially the most vulnerable among us.
In the Gospel, Jesus paints a vivid picture of the final judgment, where he separates the sheep from the goats based on how they treated the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned. Those who served the least among them served Jesus himself, while those who ignored them turned away from Jesus. This passage is not about grand gestures but about the small, consistent acts of love and compassion we show to others every day. It reminds us that our faith is not just about what we believe but about how we live out those beliefs in service to others.
These readings challenge us to reflect on how we live our daily lives. Are we treating others with justice and kindness? Are we seeing Christ in those around us, especially in those who are marginalized or overlooked? The moral lesson is clear: holiness is not about extraordinary achievements but about the ordinary, everyday choices we make to love and serve others. Let us strive to live with integrity, compassion, and a deep awareness that every interaction is an opportunity to encounter Christ. In doing so, we not only build a more just and loving world but also prepare ourselves for eternal life with God.