Daily Readings - Sat Mar 05 2022
Isaiah
9Then you will call, and the Lord will heed; you will cry out, and he will say, "Here I am," if you take away the chains from your midst, and cease to point your finger and to speak what is not beneficial10When you pour out your life for the hungry, and you satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light will rise up in darkness, and your darkness will be like the midday11And the Lord will give you rest continually, and he will fill your soul with splendor, and he will free your bones, and you will be like a watered garden and like a fountain of water whose waters will not fail12And places that have been desolate for ages will be built up by you. You will raise a foundation for generation after generation. And you will be called the repairer of hedges, who turns the roadways into quiet places13If you restrain your foot on the Sabbath, from doing your own will on my holy day, and if you call the Sabbath delightful, and the Holy of the Lord glorious, and if you glorify him, while you do not act according to your own ways, and your own will is not found, not even to speak a word14then you will find delight in the Lord, and I will take you up, above the heights of the earth, and I will nourish you with the inheritance of Jacob, your father. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken
Luke
27And after these things, he went out, and he saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the customs office. And he said to him, "Follow me.28And leaving behind everything, rising up, he followed him29And Levi made a great feast for him in his own house. And there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others, who were sitting at table with them30But the Pharisees and scribes were murmuring, saying to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?31And responding, Jesus said to them: "It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who have maladies32I have not come to call the just, but sinners to repentance.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful messages about living out our faith through compassion and humility. The first reading from Isaiah reminds us that true fasting is not just about abstaining from food, but about breaking the chains of oppression, feeding the hungry, and satisfying the afflicted. Isaiah calls us to live in such a way that our light rises in darkness, and our actions bring life and hope to those around us. The prophet emphasizes that when we pour ourselves out for others, we find rest and splendor in God, and we become instruments of healing and restoration in a broken world.
In the Gospel, Luke shares the story of Jesus calling Levi, a tax collector, and dining with sinners. This act of inclusion shocks the Pharisees and scribes, who question why Jesus would associate with those they deem unworthy. Jesus responds by saying that he has come not for the righteous, but for sinners. This exchange challenges us to reflect on our own attitudes toward others. Are we like the Pharisees, quick to judge and exclude, or are we like Jesus, who sees the potential for repentance and new life in everyone? Jesus’ actions remind us that the Kingdom of God is not about separation but about reconciliation and mercy.
These readings invite us to examine our lives and relationships. How often do we, like the Pharisees, look down on others or keep ourselves apart? How often do we, like Isaiah, pour ourselves out for those in need? Jesus shows us that true holiness is not about appearances or rules but about reaching out to the margins, embracing the outcast, and living with compassion. Let us ask ourselves: Am I willing to step out of my comfort zone to love and serve others? Am I open to seeing the goodness in those society may label as sinners? May we follow Jesus’ example, becoming repairers of brokenness and bringers of light to a world in need.