Daily Readings - Sat Jun 27 2020
Lamentations
2BETH. The Lord has cast down, and he has not been lenient, with all the beauties of Jacob. In his fury, he has destroyed the fortifications of the virgin of Judah, and he has thrown them down to the ground. He has polluted the kingdom and its leaders10JOD. The elders of the daughter of Zion have become idle; they sit on the ground. They have sprinkled their heads with ashes. They have been wrapped with haircloth. The virgins of Jerusalem have cast their heads down to the ground11CAPH. My eyes have exhausted their tears. My internal organs have become disturbed. My liver has been poured out on the earth, over the grief of the daughter of my people, when the little ones and the infants passed away in the streets of the town12LAMED. They said to their mothers, "Where is the wheat and the wine?" when they fell like the wounded in the streets of the city, when they breathed out their lives into the bosoms of their mothers13MEM. To what shall I compare you, or to what shall I liken you, O daughter of Jerusalem? To what shall I equate you, so as to console you, O virgin daughter of Zion? For your destruction is as great as the sea. Who will cure you14NUN. Your prophets have seen false and foolish things for you. And they have not laid open your iniquity, so as to provoke you to repentance. Yet they have seen for you false revelations and banishments18SADE. Their heart cried out to the Lord from the walls of the daughter of Zion. Let tears run down like a torrent throughout the day and the night. Do not give rest to yourself, and do not allow the pupil of your eye to cease19COPH. Rise up. Give praise in the night, in the first of the watches. Pour out your heart like water before the sight of the Lord. Lift up your hands to him on behalf of the souls of your little ones, who have passed away from famine at the head of all the crossroads
Matthew
5And when he had entered into Capernaum, a centurion approached, petitioning him6and saying, "Lord, my servant lies at home paralyzed and badly tormented.7And Jesus said to him, "I will come and heal him.8And responding, the centurion said: "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant shall be healed9For I, too, am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.10And, hearing this, Jesus wondered. And he said to those following him: "Amen I say to you, I have not found so great a faith in Israel11For I say to you, that many shall come from the east and the west, and they shall sit at table with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven12But the sons of the kingdom shall be cast into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.13And Jesus said to the centurion, "Go, and just as you have believed, so let it be done for you." And the servant was healed at that very hour14And when Jesus had arrived at the house of Peter, he saw his mother-in-law lying ill with a fever15And he touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose up and ministered to them16And when evening arrived, they brought to him many who had demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word. And he healed all those having maladies17in order to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah, saying, "He took our infirmities, and he carried away our diseases.
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey from the depths of sorrow to the heights of hope, guided by the timeless wisdom of Scripture. The first reading from Lamentations paints a vivid picture of a people in anguish, mourning the destruction of Jerusalem. The prophet's lament is a heartfelt cry to God, expressing the pain of a nation and the failure of its leaders. This text reminds us that suffering is an inherent part of the human experience and that even in the darkest moments, we can turn to God with our raw emotions, trusting in His mercy.
The Gospel from Matthew offers a powerful contrast, presenting Jesus as the healer who brings light into darkness. The centurion's remarkable faith stands out, as he humbly recognizes Jesus' authority and trusts in His word for his servant's healing. This encounter illustrates that faith is not about worthiness but about trust and surrender. Jesus' subsequent healings of Peter's mother-in-law and the demon-possessed demonstrate His compassion and the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy, emphasizing that Jesus bears our infirmities and diseases.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own experiences of suffering and how we respond to them. Like the centurion, we are called to approach Jesus with humility and faith, trusting in His power to heal and transform. In times of pain, we can find comfort in knowing that Jesus not only heals physical ailments but also touches our spirits, offering peace and restoration. Let us embrace the lesson of faith and trust, remembering that even in the midst of lament, Jesus is our hope and healer.