Daily Readings - Sat Mar 07 2020
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
In today's readings, we hear from Deuteronomy and Matthew, both of which invite us to reflect on our relationship with God and our neighbors. The first reading from Deuteronomy 26:16-19 emphasizes the Israelites' commitment to following God's commandments and their identity as God's chosen people. This passage is part of Moses' farewell address, where he reminds the Israelites of their covenant with God and their responsibility to live according to His laws. The second reading from Matthew 5:43-48 is part of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, where He challenges His listeners to move beyond conventional wisdom. Jesus expands the traditional understanding of love, which was often limited to neighbors, to include even enemies. He calls His followers to pray for their persecutors and to strive for the same perfection as their heavenly Father.
The connection between these readings lies in their emphasis on living out one's faith in a way that reflects God's character. In Deuteronomy, the Israelites are called to observe God's commandments and to be a holy people, set apart for His glory. In Matthew, Jesus takes this idea further by teaching that true holiness involves loving those who may not love us in return. Both readings highlight the importance of living in a way that mirrors God's love and justice. While the first reading focuses on the external observance of laws, the Gospel challenges us to cultivate an interior disposition of love that transcends human boundaries.
As we reflect on these readings, we are invited to examine how we live out our faith in our daily lives. Loving our enemies and praying for those who persecute us is no easy task, but it is precisely this kind of love that sets us apart as children of God. In a world that often values reciprocity and self-interest, Jesus calls us to a higher standard—one that reflects the boundless and unconditional love of our heavenly Father. Let us ask ourselves: Do we limit our love to those who love us back, or do we strive to love as God loves? May we, like the Israelites, choose to walk in God's ways and may we, like Jesus teaches, be perfect as our Father is perfect.