Daily Readings - Wed Mar 03 2021
Jeremiah
18And they said: "Come, and let us devise a plan against Jeremiah. For the law will not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor a sermon from the prophet. Come, and let us strike him with the tongue, and let us pay no attention to any of his words.19Attend to me, O Lord, and hear the voice of my adversaries20Should evil be rendered for good? For they have dug a pit for my soul! Remember that I have stood in your sight, so as to speak on their behalf for good, and to avert your indignation from them
Matthew
17And Jesus, ascending to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside in private and said to them18"Behold, we are ascending to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be handed over to the leaders of the priests and to the scribes. And they shall condemn him to death19And they shall hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and scourged and crucified. And on the third day, he shall rise again.20Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee approached him, with her sons, adoring him, and petitioning something from him21And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Declare that these, my two sons, may sit, one at your right hand, and the other at your left, in your kingdom.22But Jesus, responding, said: "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink from the chalice, from which I will drink?" They said to him, "We are able.23He said to them: "From my chalice, indeed, you shall drink. But to sit at my right or my left is not mine to give to you, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.24And the ten, upon hearing this, became indignant with the two brothers25But Jesus called them to himself and said: "You know that the first ones among the Gentiles are their rulers, and that those who are greater exercise power among them26It shall not be this way among you. But whoever will want to be greater among you, let him be your minister27And whoever will want to be first among you, he shall be your servant28even as the Son of man has not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a redemption for many.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound lessons on trust and humility. Jeremiah, facing opposition and plots against him, trusts in God’s justice and deliverance, despite the adversity. Similarly, in Matthew, Jesus foretells his passion and resurrection, teaching his disciples about true greatness through service. The mother of James and John seeks positions of honor, but Jesus redirects the disciples to a path of humility and servant-leadership.
Jeremiah’s context is one of persecution, common for prophets, while Jesus’s context is preparing his disciples for his death and redefining leadership. Both readings highlight trust in God and the value of humility. Jeremiah’s trust in God’s justice and Jesus’s emphasis on service illustrate that true strength lies not in power but in faith and serving others.
In our daily lives, these readings remind us to trust God during hardships and embrace humility. The moral lesson is clear: our faith should lead us to serve others selflessly, reflecting the heart of Christ. Let us strive to trust God and live with humility, finding greatness in serving others.