Daily Readings - Sat Feb 27 2021
Deuteronomy
16Today the Lord your God has instructed you to carry out these commandments and judgments, and to keep and fulfill them, with all your heart and with all your soul17Today, you have chosen the Lord to be your God, so that you may walk in his ways, and keep his ceremonies and commandments and judgments, and obey his command18Today, the Lord has chosen you, so that you may be his particular people, just as he has spoken to you, and so that you may keep all his precepts19and so that he may cause you to be more exalted than all the nations which he has created, for the sake of his own praise and name and glory, in order that you may be a holy people for the Lord your God, just as he has spoken.
Matthew
43You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and you shall have hatred for your enemy.44But I say to you: Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. And pray for those who persecute and slander you45In this way, you shall be sons of your Father, who is in heaven. He causes his sun to rise upon the good and the bad, and he causes it to rain upon the just and the unjust46For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Do not even tax collectors behave this way47And if you greet only your brothers, what more have you done? Do not even the pagans behave this way48Therefore, be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the profound themes of covenant, love, and holiness. The first reading from Deuteronomy reminds us of the sacred bond between God and His people. The Israelites, having chosen to follow the Lord, are called to live according to His commandments and statutes, not out of obligation, but as a people set apart, holy and beloved. This passage emphasizes the mutual choosing—God chooses us, and we choose Him—highlighting the intimate and intentional nature of this relationship.
The Gospel from Matthew expands this idea of covenant and holiness, challenging us to live it out in a radical way. Jesus teaches us to love not just our neighbors but also our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us, and to extend kindness to those who hate us. This is not merely a suggestion but a call to imitate the perfection of our heavenly Father, who showers His blessings equally on the just and the unjust. Jesus reminds us that loving only those who love us back is no different from the way the world operates. True holiness, therefore, lies in going beyond the ordinary, in mirroring God’s universal and unconditional love.
These readings remind us that being chosen by God is not a privilege but a responsibility. It calls us to live in a way that reflects His nature—merciful, generous, and perfect. In our daily lives, this means breaking free from the limits of our natural inclinations and embracing the supernatural love that Jesus exemplified. Let us ask ourselves: Do we love only those who are easy to love, or do we stretch our hearts to include those who challenge us? Do we pray for those who wrong us, or do we hold onto resentment? The path to holiness is not about being better than others but about being open vessels of God’s love, even when it’s difficult. As we strive to live this way, we become the light of the world, reflecting the perfect love of our Father in heaven.