Daily Readings - Fri Mar 29 2019
Hosea
1Israel, convert to the Lord your God. For you have been ruined by your own iniquity2Take these words with you and return to the Lord. And say to him, "Remove all iniquity and accept the good. And we will repay the calves of our lips3Assur will not save us; we will not ride on horses. Neither will we say any more, ‘The works of our hands are our gods,’ for those that are in you will have mercy on the orphan.4I will heal their contrition; I will love them spontaneously. For my wrath has been turned away from them5I will be like the dew; Israel will spring forth like the lily, and his root will spread out like that of the cedars of Lebanon6His branches will advance, and his glory will be like the olive tree, and his fragrance will be like that of the cedars of Lebanon7They will be converted, sitting in his shadow. They will live on wheat, and they will grow like a vine. His memorial will be like the wine of the cedars of Lebanon8Ephraim will say, "What are idols to me any more?" I will listen to him, and I will set him straight like a healthy spruce tree. Your fruit has been found by me9Who is wise and will understand this? Who has understanding and will know these things? For the ways of the Lord are straight, and the just will walk in them, but truly, the traitors will fall in them
Mark
28And one of the scribes, who had heard them arguing, drew near to him. And seeing that he had answered them well, he questioned him as to which was the first commandment of all29And Jesus answered him: "For the first commandment of all is this: ‘Listen, O Israel. The Lord your God is one God30And you shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart, and from your whole soul, and from your whole mind, and from your whole strength. This is the first commandment.31But the second is similar to it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.32And the scribe said to him: Well said, Teacher. You have spoken the truth that there is one God, and there is no other beside him33and that he should be loved from the whole heart, and from the whole understanding, and from the whole soul, and from the whole strength. And to love one’s neighbor as one’s self is greater than all holocausts and sacrifices.34And Jesus, seeing that he had responded wisely, said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that, no one dared to question him
Sermon
In today's readings, we hear powerful messages about love and mercy. The Prophet Hosea calls Israel to return to the Lord, promising healing and restoration through God's merciful love. Using vivid imagery like dew and lilies, Hosea illustrates how God's grace can revive even the most withered hearts. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches that the greatest commandments are to love God with all our being and to love our neighbor as ourselves. A scribe agrees, acknowledging that these teachings surpass even sacrifices, and Jesus affirms his understanding, noting his closeness to the kingdom of God.
These passages, though from different times, share a common theme: the transformative power of love. Hosea's context was a divided Israel facing conquest, yet he emphasizes God's mercy over punishment. Similarly, Jesus, in a tense Jerusalem setting, simplifies the law to its essence—love. Together, they remind us that our relationship with God and others is central to our faith.
Let us reflect on how we embody this love in our lives. Do our actions and decisions stem from a deep love for God and neighbor? Let us examine our hearts and interactions, ensuring they reflect the transformative love these readings call us to. Remember, our faith is not just in rituals but in living out genuine love, the foundation of our relationship with God and each other.