Daily Readings - Mon Mar 18 2019
Daniel
3And I set my face to the Lord, my God, to ask and make supplication with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes4And I prayed to the Lord, my God, and I confessed, and I said, "I beg you, O Lord God, great and terrible, preserving the covenant and mercy for those who love you and keep your commandments5We have sinned, we have committed iniquity, we acted impiously and have withdrawn, and we have turned aside from your commandments as well as your judgments6We have not obeyed your servants, the prophets, who have spoken in your name to our kings, our leaders, our fathers, and all the people of the land7To you, O Lord, is justice, but to us is confusion of face, just as it is on this day for the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, for those who are near and those who are far off, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of their iniquities by which they have sinned against you8O Lord, to us belongs confusion of face: to our kings, our leaders, and our fathers, who have sinned9But to you, the Lord our God, is mercy and atonement, for we have withdrawn from you10and we have not listened to the voice of the Lord, our God, so as to walk in his law, which he established for us by his servants, the prophets
Luke
36Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father is also merciful37Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven38Give, and it will be given to you: a good measure, pressed down and shaken together and overflowing, they will place upon your lap. Certainly, the same measure that you use to measure out, will be used to measure back to you again.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of mercy, repentance, and the call to live as disciples of God. In the first reading from Daniel, we hear a heartfelt prayer of confession and supplication. Daniel acknowledges the sins of his people, humbly admitting their failure to follow God’s commandments. He pleads for mercy, recognizing that justice belongs to God while shame and confusion belong to those who have turned away. This passage reminds us of the importance of humility and the need to acknowledge our own shortcomings before God. It is a call to repentance, urging us to turn back to the Lord with sincerity and trust in His mercy.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the necessity of living out God’s mercy in our relationships with others. He instructs us not to judge or condemn but instead to forgive and give generously. The measure we use to measure others, He warns, will be the same measure used for us. This teaching challenges us to reflect on how we treat one another. Are we quick to forgive, or do we hold grudges? Do we show compassion to those in need, or do we turn away? Jesus is clear: our actions toward others are a reflection of our relationship with God. If we seek to be merciful as our Father is merciful, we must act with kindness, understanding, and generosity.
Together, these readings remind us that our faith is not just about what we believe but also about how we live. Daniel’s prayer shows us the importance of humility and repentance, while Jesus’ teaching calls us to extend God’s mercy to others. In our daily lives, let us strive to be people of compassion and forgiveness. May we turn to God with sincere hearts, acknowledging our sins and seeking His mercy. And may we, in turn, be instruments of that mercy in the lives of those around us.