Daily Readings - Fri Jul 05 2024
Amos
4Hear this, you who crush the poor and who make those in need of land to do without5You say, "When will the first day of the month be over, so we can sell our wares, and the sabbath, so we can open the grain: in order that we may decrease the measure, and increase the price, and substitute deceitful scales6in order that we may possess the destitute with money, and the poor for a pair of shoes, and may sell even the refuse of the grain?9And it will be in that day, says the Lord God, that the sun will decline at midday, and I will cause the earth to become dark on the day of light10And I will turn your feasts into mourning, and all your hymns into lamentation. And I will put sackcloth over every one of your backs, and baldness on every head. And I will begin it like the mourning for an only-begotten son, and complete it like a bitter day11Behold, the days pass, says the Lord, and I will send a famine on the earth: not a famine of bread, nor of thirst for water, but for hearing the word of the Lord12And they will move even from sea to sea, and from the North all the way to the East. They will wander around seeking the word of the Lord, and they will not find it
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
In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages about justice and mercy. The prophet Amos denounces the social injustices of his time, where the wealthy exploit the poor, using deceptive trade practices and ignoring the needs of the vulnerable. He warns of a spiritual famine, a time when people will seek God's word but find it absent. This serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of neglecting the marginalized.
In the Gospel, Jesus challenges societal norms by calling Matthew, a tax collector, and dining with sinners. The Pharisees question Jesus' actions, prompting him to emphasize that his mission is to bring mercy to those who have strayed, quoting Hosea to highlight the importance of compassion over rigid adherence to the law. This illustrates Jesus' commitment to reaching out to the outcasts and showing them God's love.
These readings together call us to reflect on our own lives. We must balance the pursuit of justice for the oppressed with the practice of mercy towards those who have erred. Let us examine our actions to ensure we do not exploit others and that we extend compassion to those around us. By living with integrity and kindness, we embody the teachings of both Amos and Jesus, fostering a world where justice and mercy coexist.