Daily Readings - Sun Jun 28 2020

⁸Now it happened that, on a certain day, Elisha passed by Shunem. And there was a great woman there, who took him to eat bread. And since he frequently passed by there, he turned aside to her house, so that he might eat bread⁹And she said to her husband: "I have noticed that he is a holy man of God, who passes by us frequently¹⁰Therefore, let us prepare a small upper room for him, and place a bed in it for him, and a table, and a chair, and a lampstand, so that when he comes to us, he may stay there.¹¹Then it happened that, on a certain day, arriving, he turned aside into the upper room, and he rested there¹²And he said to his servant Gehazi, "Call this Shunammite woman." And when he had called her, and she stood before him¹⁴And he said, "Then what does she want, that I might do for her?" And Gehazi said: "You need not ask. For she has no son, and her husband is elderly.¹⁵And so, he instructed him to call her. And when she had been called, and was standing before the door¹⁶he said to her, "At this time, and at this same hour, with life as a companion, you will have a son in your womb." But she responded, "Do not, I ask you, my lord, a man of God, do not be willing to lie to your handmaid.

Romans

Chapter 6

³Do you not know that those of us who have been baptized in Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death⁴For through baptism we have been buried with him into death, so that, in the manner that Christ rose from the dead, by the glory of the Father, so may we also walk in the newness of life⁸Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live together with Christ⁹For we know that Christ, in rising up from the dead, can no longer die: death no longer has dominion over him¹⁰For in as much as he died for sin, he died once. But in as much as he lives, he lives for God¹¹And so, you should consider yourselves to be certainly dead to sin, and to be living for God in Christ Jesus our Lord

Matthew

Chapter 10

³⁷Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever loves son or daughter above me is not worthy of me³⁸And whoever does not take up his cross, and follow me is not worthy of me³⁹Whoever finds his life, will lose it. And whoever will have lost his life because of me, shall find it⁴⁰Whoever receives you, receives me. And whoever receives me, receives him who sent me⁴¹Whoever receives a prophet, in the name of a prophet, shall receive the reward of a prophet. And whoever receives the just in the name of the just shall receive the reward of the just⁴²And whoever shall give, even to one of the least of these, a cup of cold water to drink, solely in the name of a disciple: Amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of faith, hospitality, and the call to discipleship. In the first reading, we encounter the story of Elisha and the Shunammite woman, a powerful example of hospitality and trust in God. The woman, recognizing Elisha as a holy man, opens her home to him, providing him with a place to rest. Her generosity and faith are rewarded when Elisha, moved by her kindness, promises her a son despite her advanced age and childlessness. This story reminds us that our acts of kindness and hospitality are not only expressions of love but also ways of participating in God’s plan. The second reading from Romans deepens our understanding of the spiritual life. Paul writes about the transformative power of baptism, which unites us with Christ’s death and resurrection. Through baptism, we are called to leave behind our old selves and live a new life in Christ. This passage challenges us to consider how we are living out our faith. Are we truly living as people who have been raised with Christ, or are we still holding on to the patterns of sin and death? Paul encourages us to embrace the new life God has given us and to live in a way that reflects our union with Christ. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks about the radical demands of discipleship. He tells us that following him requires us to love him more than anything else, even more than our closest family ties. He also reminds us that true discipleship involves taking up our cross and losing our lives for his sake. Yet, Jesus also promises that those who receive others in his name—whether prophets, the righteous, or even the least among us—will be rewarded. This teaching calls us to live with generosity, humility, and a willingness to serve others, trusting that our efforts, no matter how small, are seen and valued by God. Today’s readings invite us to reflect on how we are living out our faith. Are we like the Shunammite woman, opening our hearts and homes to others in trust and generosity? Are we living as people who have been transformed by Christ, leaving behind sin and embracing the new life he offers? And are we willing to follow Jesus, even when it requires sacrifice, trusting that our efforts to love and serve others will bear fruit? May we be inspired by these readings to live with greater faith, hospitality, and devotion, knowing that God is always at work in our lives.