Daily Readings - Mon Jun 13 2022
1 Kings
1And after these things, in that time, there was a vineyard of Naboth, the Jezreelite, who was in Jezreel, beside the palace of Ahab, the king of Samaria2Therefore, Ahab spoke to Naboth, saying: "Give your vineyard to me, so that I may make for myself a garden of herbs. For it is nearby and is beside my house. And I will give to you, in place of it, a better vineyard. Or if you consider it to be more convenient for you, I will give you the price in silver, whatever it is worth.3Naboth responded to him, "May the Lord be gracious to me, lest I give to you the inheritance of my fathers.4Then Ahab went into his house, angry and gnashing his teeth over the word that Naboth, the Jezreelite, had spoken to him, saying, "I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers." And casting himself on his bed, he turned away his face to the wall, and he would not eat bread5Then Jezebel, his wife, entered to him, and she said to him: "What is this matter, by which your soul has been saddened? And why do you not eat bread?6And he responded to her: "I spoke to Naboth, the Jezreelite, and I said to him: ‘Give your vineyard to me, and accept money. Or if it pleases you, I will give to you a better vineyard, in place of it.’ And he said, ‘I will not give my vineyard to you.’ 7Then Jezebel, his wife, said to him: "You are of great authority, and you rule well in the kingdom of Israel. Rise up and eat bread, and be even-tempered. I will give the vineyard of Naboth, the Jezreelite, to you.8And so, she wrote letters in the name of Ahab, and she sealed these with his ring. And she sent to those greater by birth, and to the nobles who were in his city and living with Naboth9And this was the judgment of the letters: "Proclaim a fast, and cause Naboth to sit among the first rulers of the people10And send out two men, sons of Belial, against him. And let them speak the false testimony: ‘He has blasphemed God and king.’ And then lead him away, and stone him, and so let him die.11Then his fellow citizens, those greater by birth and the nobles who were living with him in the city, did just as Jezebel had instructed them, and just as it was written in the letters that she had sent to them12They proclaimed a fast, and they caused Naboth to sit among the first rulers of the people13And bringing forward two men, sons of the devil, they caused them to sit opposite him. And they, acting indeed like diabolical men, spoke testimony against him before the multitude: "Naboth has blasphemed God and king." For this reason, they led him away, beyond the city, and they put him to death by stoning14And they sent to Jezebel, saying, "Naboth has been stoned, and he has died.15Then it happened that, when Jezebel had heard that Naboth was stoned and was dead, she said to Ahab: "Rise up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth, the Jezreelite, who was not willing to acquiesce to you, and to give it to you in exchange for money. For Naboth is not alive, but dead.16And when Ahab had heard this, namely, that Naboth was dead, he rose up and descended to the vineyard of Naboth, the Jezreelite, so that he might take possession of it
Matthew
38You have heard that it was said: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.39But I say to you, do not resist one who is evil, but if anyone will have struck you on your right cheek, offer to him the other also40And anyone who wishes to contend with you in judgment, and to take away your tunic, release to him your cloak also41And whoever will have compelled you for one thousand steps, go with him even for two thousand steps42Whoever asks of you, give to him. And if anyone would borrow from you, do not turn away from him
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two distinct narratives that invite us to reflect on our values and actions. The first reading from 1 Kings 21:1-16 tells the story of Ahab, who desires Naboth's vineyard. When Naboth refuses to sell, Ahab's wife, Jezebel, orchestrates Naboth's death through false accusations, allowing Ahab to seize the land. This story highlights the dangers of greed, abuse of power, and the consequences of injustice.
The Gospel reading from Matthew 5:38-42 presents a contrasting message. Jesus teaches about non-resistance to evil, encouraging his followers to turn the other cheek and be generous. This teaching challenges the traditional "eye for an eye" mentality, promoting a higher moral standard of love and forgiveness.
These readings relate by presenting two approaches to conflict and desire. The first reading illustrates the destructive path of greed and power, while the Gospel offers a transformative approach of humility and kindness. Together, they invite us to consider how we handle our desires and conflicts in daily life.
In our own lives, we face choices between pursuing our interests at the expense of others or embracing patience and generosity. The moral lesson here is the importance of choosing humility and justice over greed and power. Let us strive to live by Jesus' teachings, fostering a spirit of love and forgiveness in our interactions, thereby creating a more just and compassionate world.