Daily Readings - Mon Sep 21 2020
Ephesians
1And so, as a prisoner in the Lord, I beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the vocation to which you have been called2with all humility and meekness, with patience, supporting one another in charity3Be anxious to preserve the unity of the Spirit within the bonds of peace4One body and one Spirit: to this you have been called by the one hope of your calling5one Lord, one faith, one baptism6one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all7Yet to each one of us there has been given grace according to the measure allotted by Christ11And the same one granted that some would be Apostles, and some Prophets, yet truly others evangelists, and others pastors and teachers12for the sake of the perfection of the saints, by the work of the ministry, in the edification of the body of Christ13until we all meet in the unity of faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as a perfect man, in the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ
Matthew
9And when Jesus passed on from there, he saw, sitting at the tax office, a man named Matthew. And he said to him, "Follow me." And rising up, he followed him10And it happened that, as he was sitting down to eat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners arrived, and they sat down to eat with Jesus and his disciples11And the Pharisees, seeing this, said to his disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?12But Jesus, hearing this, said: "It is not those who are healthy who are in need of a physician, but those who have maladies13So then, go out and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the just, but sinners.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the importance of unity and compassion within the Christian community. The first reading from Ephesians emphasizes that, despite our diverse roles and gifts, we are all part of the same body of Christ. Paul urges us to live with humility, patience, and love, preserving the unity of the Spirit. The Gospel from Matthew illustrates this unity in action, as Jesus reaches out to Matthew, a tax collector, and dines with sinners, challenging the Pharisees’ rigid understanding of holiness. Jesus’ response, “I have come not to call the just, but sinners,” underscores God’s mercy and desire for inclusion.
The context of these readings is rooted in the early Christian community’s struggle to understand its identity and mission. Ephesians, written by Paul, addresses a Church composed of both Jews and Gentiles, urging them to live as one body in Christ. Matthew’s Gospel, on the other hand, reflects Jesus’ ministry to those on the margins, highlighting His mission to bring all people into God’s kingdom. Together, these readings remind us that the Church is not just for the perfect or the righteous but for everyone, especially those who feel unworthy or excluded.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to embrace our diversity and to reach out to those on the peripheries. Just as Jesus dined with tax collectors and sinners, we are called to break down barriers and to create spaces of inclusion and understanding. The moral lesson here is clear: God’s mercy and love are not reserved for the few but are offered to all. Let us, therefore, live with humility and compassion, recognizing that each of us is a part of the one body of Christ, and that our unity is strengthened when we welcome and support one another.