Daily Readings - Fri Mar 20 2020
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 encounter two powerful calls to devotion and love. The prophet Hosea urges the Israelites to return to the Lord, turning away from their sins and idols, trusting not in earthly alliances but in God's mercy. This call to repentance is not just a historical lesson but a timeless invitation to each of us to examine our hearts and redirect our focus to God.
In the Gospel, Jesus, when asked about the greatest commandment, emphasizes loving God with our entire being and loving our neighbor as ourselves. This teaching, affirmed by the scribe, underscores that true devotion to God is inseparable from our treatment of others. Both readings highlight the importance of a sincere, heartfelt relationship with God that naturally overflows into love and service for others.
As we reflect on these teachings, let us consider how we can turn away from our own 'idols'—be they distractions, sins, or self-reliance—and instead prioritize a deep, prayerful connection with God. Let us also examine how we extend love and compassion to those around us, remembering that our faith is lived out in both our devotion to God and our actions towards others. May we strive to love God fully and our neighbors selflessly, embodying the essence of the Christian life.