Daily Readings - Tue Feb 27 2024
Isaiah
10Listen to the Word of the Lord, you leaders of the people of Sodom. Listen closely to the law of our God, O people of Gomorrah16Wash, become clean, take away the evil of your intentions from my eyes. Cease to act perversely17Learn to do good. Seek judgment, support the oppressed, judge for the orphan, defend the widow18And then approach and accuse me, says the Lord. Then, if your sins are like scarlet, they shall be made white like snow; and if they are red like vermillion, they shall become white like wool19If you are willing, and you listen to me, then you will eat the good things of the land20But if you are not willing, and you provoke me to anger, then the sword will devour you. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken27Zion will be redeemed in judgment, and they will lead her back to justice28And he shall crush the accursed and sinners together. And those who have abandoned the Lord will be consumed31And your strength will be like the embers from stubble, and your work will be like a spark, and both will burn together, and there will be no one to extinguish it
Matthew
1Then Jesus spoke to the crowds, and to his disciples2saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees have sat down in the chair of Moses3Therefore, all things whatsoever that they shall say to you, observe and do. Yet truly, do not choose to act according to their works. For they say, but they do not do4For they bind up heavy and unbearable burdens, and they impose them on men’s shoulders. But they are not willing to move them with even a finger of their own5Truly, they do all their works so that they may be seen by men. For they enlarge their phylacteries and glorify their hems6And they love the first places at feasts, and the first chairs in the synagogues7and greetings in the marketplace, and to be called Master by men8But you must not be called Master. For One is your Master, and you are all brothers9And do not choose to call anyone on earth your father. For One is your Father, who is in heaven10Neither should you be called teachers. For One is your Teacher, the Christ11Whoever is greater among you shall be your minister12But whoever has exalted himself, shall be humbled. And whoever has humbled himself, shall be exalted
Sermon
The readings today offer a powerful call to authenticity and humility in our relationship with God and with one another. In the first reading from Isaiah, the prophet speaks to a people who have wandered far from God’s ways. He calls them to repentance, urging them to seek justice, support the oppressed, and defend the vulnerable. Isaiah emphasizes that true conversion is not about outward appearances but about a change of heart. If they turn back to God with sincerity, their sins, though deep, will be washed clean. This passage reminds us that our faith must be lived out in concrete actions of love and justice.
In the Gospel, Jesus critiques the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy. While they teach the law, they fail to live it out in their own lives. They burden others with rules they do not follow themselves and seek praise and recognition for their outward piety. Jesus warns his disciples against imitating such behavior. True greatness, he says, is found in humility and service, not in seeking power or status. He reminds us that we have only one Teacher, one Father, and one Master—God himself. This teaching challenges us to examine our own motivations and actions, ensuring that they align with the values of the Kingdom of God.
Both readings call us to reflect on the authenticity of our faith. Isaiah urges us to move beyond superficial religion and to live out our faith in deeds of justice and compassion. Jesus warns us against the temptation to prioritize appearances over true humility and service. In our daily lives, we are invited to ask: Are our actions guided by a sincere desire to follow God’s will, or are they driven by a desire for recognition or power? Let us strive to live with integrity, seeking to serve rather than be served, and to humbly acknowledge our dependence on God. In doing so, we will find true greatness in the eyes of God.