Daily Readings - Sat Mar 16 2019
Deuteronomy
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.
Matthew
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
The first reading from Deuteronomy reminds us of the covenant God made with his people, calling them to live according to his commandments and statutes. The Israelites are instructed to obey God with all their heart and soul, acknowledging that they have been chosen by God to be his holy people. This passage emphasizes the reciprocal nature of the relationship between God and his people: just as God chooses and blesses them, they are called to respond by living faithfully and keeping his ways. The reading invites us to reflect on our own commitment to living as God’s people, called to holiness and fidelity.
In the Gospel, Jesus challenges us to go beyond the conventional understanding of love. He teaches that true love is not limited to those who love us but must extend even to our enemies. Jesus calls us to pray for those who persecute us and to do good to those who hate us. This radical teaching reflects the universal love of God, who sends rain and sunshine on both the just and the unjust. Jesus invites us to imitate this divine generosity and perfection, not by seeking reward or recognition, but by embracing the humility and selflessness of God’s love.
These readings remind us that our faith is not just about following rules or receiving blessings but about living in a way that reflects God’s character. Just as the Israelites were called to be a holy people, we too are called to be children of God, living in a way that mirrors his love and mercy. In our daily lives, this means choosing to love even when it’s difficult, forgiving those who wrong us, and treating everyone with kindness, regardless of how they treat us. May we strive to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect, not in our own strength, but by allowing his love to flow through us to all we encounter.