Daily Readings - Mon Mar 14 2022
Daniel
3And I set my face to the Lord, my God, to ask and make supplication with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes4And I prayed to the Lord, my God, and I confessed, and I said, "I beg you, O Lord God, great and terrible, preserving the covenant and mercy for those who love you and keep your commandments5We have sinned, we have committed iniquity, we acted impiously and have withdrawn, and we have turned aside from your commandments as well as your judgments6We have not obeyed your servants, the prophets, who have spoken in your name to our kings, our leaders, our fathers, and all the people of the land7To you, O Lord, is justice, but to us is confusion of face, just as it is on this day for the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, for those who are near and those who are far off, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of their iniquities by which they have sinned against you8O Lord, to us belongs confusion of face: to our kings, our leaders, and our fathers, who have sinned9But to you, the Lord our God, is mercy and atonement, for we have withdrawn from you10and we have not listened to the voice of the Lord, our God, so as to walk in his law, which he established for us by his servants, the prophets
Luke
36Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father is also merciful37Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven38Give, and it will be given to you: a good measure, pressed down and shaken together and overflowing, they will place upon your lap. Certainly, the same measure that you use to measure out, will be used to measure back to you again.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful reflections on mercy, judgment, and the relationship between God and humanity. In Daniel’s prayer, we hear a heartfelt confession of sin and a plea for divine mercy. Daniel acknowledges the sins of his people, acknowledging that their suffering is a consequence of their infidelity to God. Yet, he also appeals to God's mercy, acknowledging that God is just and faithful, and that His mercy is available to those who turn back to Him. This reading reminds us of the importance of humility and repentance in our relationship with God.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the importance of showing mercy to others. He warns against judging or condemning others, because the measure we use to judge others will be the same measure used to judge us. He calls us to be merciful as the Father is merciful, and He promises that those who give generously will receive abundantly in return. This teaching challenges us to examine our attitudes toward others and to live out the mercy and compassion we receive from God.
The connection between these readings is clear: just as we ask for God's mercy and forgiveness, we must extend that same mercy and forgiveness to others. Daniel's prayer shows us the importance of acknowledging our own sinfulness and seeking God's pardon. Jesus' teaching in the Gospel shows us that this mercy must not remain inward but must be expressed in our relationships with others. In our daily lives, we are called to live out this twofold dynamic: humbly seeking God's mercy and freely giving it to others. Let us remember that the measure of our love for God is reflected in how we treat our neighbors, and may we strive to be instruments of God's mercy and compassion in the world.