Daily Readings - Sat Mar 15 2025
Deuteronomy
16Today the Lord your God has instructed you to carry out these commandments and judgments, and to keep and fulfill them, with all your heart and with all your soul17Today, you have chosen the Lord to be your God, so that you may walk in his ways, and keep his ceremonies and commandments and judgments, and obey his command18Today, the Lord has chosen you, so that you may be his particular people, just as he has spoken to you, and so that you may keep all his precepts19and so that he may cause you to be more exalted than all the nations which he has created, for the sake of his own praise and name and glory, in order that you may be a holy people for the Lord your God, just as he has spoken.
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
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the profound call to live as children of God, reflecting His love and perfection in our lives. The first reading from Deuteronomy emphasizes the Israelites' commitment to follow God's commandments, highlighting their unique relationship with Him as His chosen people. This passage underscores the importance of living according to God's laws, not merely out of obligation but as a natural response to His grace and love.
The Gospel from Matthew challenges us to expand our understanding of love beyond conventional boundaries. Jesus teaches us to love not just our neighbors but also our enemies, praying for those who persecute us. This teaching is part of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus deepens the interpretation of the law, calling us to a higher standard of love that mirrors God's universal care for all people, regardless of their actions.
These readings are connected by the theme of living out our identity as God's children. While Deuteronomy focuses on the Israelites' covenant obligations, Matthew's Gospel extends this to a universal call to love. Together, they remind us that our actions should reflect God's perfection, treating everyone with love and respect. In our daily lives, this means embracing those who may be difficult, just as God embraces us all. The moral lesson is clear: through love, we become instruments of God's transformative grace, living as true reflections of His perfect love.