Daily Readings - Sat Mar 09 2024

Hosea

Chapter 5

¹⁵I will go and return to my place, until you shall grow faint and seek my face

¹In their tribulation, they will arise early to me. Come, let us return to the Lord²For he has seized us, and he will heal us. He will strike, and he will cure us³He will revive us after two days; on the third day he will raise us up, and we will live in his sight. We will understand, and we will continue on, so that we may know the Lord. His landing place has been prepared like the first light of morning, and he will come to us like the early and the late rains of the land⁴What am I to do with you, Ephraim? What am I to do with you, Judah? Your mercy is like the morning mist, and like the dew passing away in the morning⁵Because of this, I have cut them with the prophets, I have slain them with the words of my mouth; and your opinions will depart like the light⁶For I desired mercy and not sacrifice, and knowledge of God more than holocausts

Luke

Chapter 18

⁹Now about certain persons who consider themselves to be just, while disdaining others, he told also this parable¹⁰"Two men ascended to the temple, in order to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a tax collector¹¹Standing, the Pharisee prayed within himself in this way: ‘O God, I give thanks to you that I am not like the rest of men: robbers, unjust, adulterers, even as this tax collector chooses to be¹²I fast twice between Sabbaths. I give tithes from all that I possess.¹³And the tax collector, standing at a distance, was not willing to even lift up his eyes to heaven. But he struck his chest, saying: ‘O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.¹⁴I say to you, this one descended to his house justified, but not the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled; and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful messages that invite us to reflect on our relationship with God and our approach to prayer. The first reading from Hosea speaks of a people who have wandered away from God but are called to return to Him with humility and sincerity. Hosea emphasizes that true faith is not about external rituals but about seeking God with a contrite heart. The prophet reminds us that God desires mercy and a deep knowledge of Him more than sacrifices or hollow religious practices. The second reading from Luke’s Gospel presents a parable that contrasts the self-righteousness of a Pharisee with the humility of a tax collector. While the Pharisee boasts of his own righteousness, the tax collector, aware of his sinfulness, humbly asks for mercy. Jesus makes it clear that it is the humble and contrite heart that is justified before God. These readings are deeply connected in their emphasis on humility and the authentic pursuit of God. Hosea calls the people of Israel to abandon their superficial religiosity and return to a genuine relationship with the Lord, while Jesus warns against the dangers of self-righteousness and pride. Both readings remind us that true spirituality is not about comparing ourselves to others or relying on external acts of piety but about acknowledging our need for God’s mercy and grace. The tax collector’s prayer, “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner,” is a beautiful example of the humility that God desires from us. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How do we approach God in prayer? Do we come with a sense of self-satisfaction, or do we humbly acknowledge our limitations and sins? Let us also consider how we relate to others. Do we look down on those we perceive as less righteous, or do we recognize that we are all in need of God’s mercy? These readings call us to a deeper conversion of heart, to a faith that is rooted in humility and a genuine desire to know and love God above all else. May we, like the tax collector, find the courage to approach God with humility, knowing that it is in our weakness that His grace can truly shine.