Daily Readings - Sat Mar 21 2020

Hosea

Chapter 5

¹⁵I will go and return to my place, until you shall grow faint and seek my face

¹In their tribulation, they will arise early to me. Come, let us return to the Lord²For he has seized us, and he will heal us. He will strike, and he will cure us³He will revive us after two days; on the third day he will raise us up, and we will live in his sight. We will understand, and we will continue on, so that we may know the Lord. His landing place has been prepared like the first light of morning, and he will come to us like the early and the late rains of the land⁴What am I to do with you, Ephraim? What am I to do with you, Judah? Your mercy is like the morning mist, and like the dew passing away in the morning⁵Because of this, I have cut them with the prophets, I have slain them with the words of my mouth; and your opinions will depart like the light⁶For I desired mercy and not sacrifice, and knowledge of God more than holocausts

Luke

Chapter 18

⁹Now about certain persons who consider themselves to be just, while disdaining others, he told also this parable¹⁰"Two men ascended to the temple, in order to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector¹¹Standing, the Pharisee prayed within himself in this way: ‘O God, I give thanks to you that I am not like the rest of men: robbers, unjust, adulterers, even as this tax collector chooses to be¹²I fast twice between Sabbaths. I give tithes from all that I possess.¹³And the tax collector, standing at a distance, was not willing to even lift up his eyes to heaven. But he struck his chest, saying: ‘O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.¹⁴I say to you, this one descended to his house justified, but not the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled; and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we hear a powerful call to humility and a deeper relationship with God. The first reading from Hosea speaks of a people who have wandered from the Lord but are invited to return to him with humble hearts. Hosea describes a God who longs to heal and restore his people, but he laments their superficial devotion, which is as fleeting as the morning mist. The prophet emphasizes that true worship is not about external rituals but about seeking God with sincerity and knowledge. The second reading from Luke’s Gospel reinforces this message through the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee, confident in his own righteousness, prays with pride, while the tax collector, humbled by his sinfulness, cries out for mercy. Jesus makes it clear that it is the humble, not the self-righteous, who are justified in God’s sight. These readings are deeply connected, as both Hosea and Jesus challenge us to examine the state of our hearts. Hosea calls us to move beyond superficial religion, while Jesus exposes the dangers of pride and self-reliance. Together, they remind us that true faith is not about comparing ourselves to others or relying on our own works, but about acknowledging our need for God and approaching him with humility. This is a timeless message, as relevant today as it was in Hosea’s time or when Jesus walked among us. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How do we approach God in our prayers and in our lives? Do we come with the humility of the tax collector, recognizing our limitations and sins, or do we, like the Pharisee, focus on our own perceived righteousness? Let us strive to cultivate a spirit of humility and sincerity, knowing that it is only when we acknowledge our need for God that we can truly experience his healing and restoration. May we seek the Lord with humble hearts, for it is in humility that we find true justification and peace.