Daily Readings - Tue Jun 14 2022
1 Kings
17Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah, the Tishbite, saying18"Rise up, and descend to meet Ahab, the king of Israel, who is in Samaria. Behold, he is descending to the vineyard of Naboth, so that he may take possession of it19And you shall speak to him, saying: ‘Thus says the Lord: You have killed. Moreover you have also taken possession.’ And after this, you shall add: ‘Thus says the Lord: In this place, where the dogs have licked the blood of Naboth, they shall also lick your blood.’ 20And Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you discovered me to be your enemy?" And he said: "I have discovered you to have been sold, so that you would do evil in the sight of the Lord21‘Behold, I will lead evil over you. And I will cut down your posterity. And I will put to death of Ahab whatever urinates against a wall, and whatever is lame, and whatever is last in Israel22And I will cause your house to be like the house of Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha, the son of Ahijah. For you have acted so that you provoked me to anger, and so that you caused Israel to sin.23And about Jezebel also, the Lord spoke, saying: ‘The dogs shall consume Jezebel in the field of Jezreel24If Ahab will have died in the city, the dogs will consume him. But if he will have died in the field, the birds of the air will consume him.’ 25And so, there was no other person similar to Ahab, who was sold so that he did evil in the sight of the Lord. For his wife, Jezebel, urged him on26And he became abominable, so much so that he followed the idols that the Amorites had made, whom the Lord consumed before the face of the sons of Israel27Then, when Ahab had heard these words, he tore his garments, and he put haircloth on his body, and he fasted, and he slept in sackcloth, and he walked with his head downcast28And the word of the Lord came to Elijah, the Tishbite, saying29"Have you not seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Therefore, since he has humbled himself because of me, I will not lead in the evil during his days. Instead, during the days of his son, I will bring in the evil to his house.
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of justice, mercy, and the call to live a life of love and compassion. In the first reading from 1 Kings, we encounter the story of Ahab, the king of Israel, who, under the influence of his wife Jezebel, seized the vineyard of Naboth and had him killed. Elijah, the prophet, confronts Ahab with a stern warning of divine judgment, but Ahab’s humble repentance delays the punishment. This story highlights the consequences of sin and the possibility of mercy when we turn back to God. In the Gospel, Jesus challenges us to go beyond the law of loving our neighbors and hating our enemies. He calls us to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and strive for perfection as our heavenly Father is perfect. This teaching elevates the moral standard, urging us to imitate God’s universal love, which extends even to those who do not deserve it.
The connection between the two readings lies in the interplay between justice and mercy. In the Old Testament, justice is often tied to punishment for wrongdoing, yet Ahab’s repentance shows that God’s mercy can temper judgment. In the New Testament, Jesus takes this further by emphasizing that love and mercy should characterize our relationship with others, even those who wrong us. Together, these readings remind us that while sin has consequences, repentance and love can transform situations and relationships.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to examine how we treat others, especially those we may consider enemies or who have wronged us. Jesus’ call to love our enemies is not about feelings but about actions—doing good, praying, and blessing those who persecute us. This is difficult, but it is the path to true holiness and the perfection that God calls us to. The story of Ahab reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s mercy, and our humble repentance can change the course of our lives. Let us strive to live out these teachings, trusting in God’s grace to help us love as He loves.