Daily Readings - Tue Mar 18 2025
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 others. In the first reading from Isaiah, the prophet speaks to a people who have wandered far from God’s ways, calling them to repentance and a return to justice. He urges them to move beyond outward appearances of piety and instead embrace a life of genuine conversion, seeking to do good and uphold the vulnerable. Isaiah reminds us that our actions have consequences, and while God’s mercy is always available, it requires us to turn away from sin and toward justice.
In the Gospel, Jesus critiques the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy. While they teach the law and emphasize outward signs of religiosity, their actions do not match their words. Jesus warns against the temptation to seek recognition and power, whether in religious or social contexts. He calls his followers to a different way: one of humility, service, and authenticity. True greatness, he says, is found in lowering ourselves and serving others, not in seeking titles or admiration.
These readings challenge us to examine our own lives. Are we living out our faith in a way that reflects genuine love for God and neighbor, or are we content with superficial appearances? Do we seek to serve others, or do we hunger for recognition and status? Isaiah and Jesus remind us that true faith is not about outward show but about the condition of our hearts. Let us strive to live with humility, justice, and compassion, knowing that it is in surrendering our pride and embracing simplicity that we find true greatness in God’s eyes.