Daily Readings - Thu Sep 21 2023
Ephesians
1And so, as a prisoner in the Lord, I beg you to walk in a manner worthy of the vocation to which you have been called2with all humility and meekness, with patience, supporting one another in charity3Be anxious to preserve the unity of the Spirit within the bonds of peace4One body and one Spirit: to this you have been called by the one hope of your calling5one Lord, one faith, one baptism6one God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in us all7Yet to each one of us there has been given grace according to the measure allotted by Christ11And the same one granted that some would be Apostles, and some Prophets, yet truly others evangelists, and others pastors and teachers12for the sake of the perfection of the saints, by the work of the ministry, in the edification of the body of Christ13until we all meet in the unity of faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, as a perfect man, in the measure of the age of the fullness of Christ
Matthew
9And when Jesus passed on from there, he saw, sitting at the tax office, a man named Matthew. And he said to him, "Follow me." And rising up, he followed him10And it happened that, as he was sitting down to eat in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners arrived, and they sat down to eat with Jesus and his disciples11And the Pharisees, seeing this, said to his disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?12But Jesus, hearing this, said: "It is not those who are healthy who are in need of a physician, but those who have maladies13So then, go out and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the just, but sinners.
Sermon
Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the call to live as one body in Christ and to embrace God’s mercy in our lives. In the first reading from Ephesians, St. Paul urges us to live in a way worthy of our Christian vocation, with humility, patience, and love. He reminds us that we are all part of the same body, united by one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. Each of us has been given unique gifts to build up the body of Christ and to grow in unity and knowledge of the Son of God. This passage emphasizes the importance of living in harmony and recognizing the diverse roles we play in the life of the Church.
In the Gospel, Matthew’s call to follow Jesus and the subsequent dinner with tax collectors and sinners challenge us to think about who we include in our circle of relationships. The Pharisees criticized Jesus for dining with those considered unworthy, but Jesus responded by quoting the prophet Hosea: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” This encounter reminds us that the heart of God’s law is not about external rituals but about showing compassion and love to those who are marginalized. Jesus came not to call the righteous but sinners, and this truth should inspire us to reach out to others with the same mercy and love that God has shown us.
These readings are deeply connected. Both emphasize the unity of God’s people and the call to live with humility and compassion. In Ephesians, we are reminded of our shared identity as members of Christ’s body, while in Matthew, we see how Jesus modeled this unity by breaking down social barriers. As we reflect on these passages, let us ask ourselves: How am I contributing to the unity of the body of Christ? Am I willing to step out of my comfort zone to show mercy to those who may feel excluded or unworthy? May we strive to live with the humility and love that Jesus exemplified, recognizing that we are all in need of God’s healing grace. Let us go forth, then, and learn what it means to desire mercy, even as we seek to be instruments of that mercy in the lives of others.