Daily Readings - Mon Mar 24 2025
2 Kings
1Naaman, the leader of the military of the king of Syria, was a great and honorable man with his lord. For through him the Lord gave salvation to Syria. And he was a strong and rich man, but a leper2Now robbers had gone out from Syria, and they had led away captive, from the land of Israel, a little girl. And she was in the service of the wife of Naaman3And she said to her lady: "I wish that my lord had been with the prophet who is in Samaria. Certainly, he would have cured him of the leprosy that he has.4And so, Naaman entered to his lord, and he reported to him, saying: "The girl from the land of Israel spoke in such a manner.5And the king of Syria said to him, "Go, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel." And when he had set out, he had taken with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand gold coins, and ten changes of fine clothing6And he brought the letter to the king of Israel, in these words: "When you will receive this letter, know that I have sent to you my servant, Naaman, so that you may heal him of his leprosy.7And when the king of Israel had read the letter, he tore his garments, and he said: "Am I God, so that I could take or give life, or so that this man would send to me to cure a man from his leprosy? Take notice and see that he is seeking occasions against me.8And when Elisha, the man of God, had heard this, specifically, that the king of Israel had torn his garments, he sent to him, saying: "Why have you torn your garments? Let him come to me, and let him know that there is a prophet in Israel.9Therefore, Naaman arrived with his horses and chariots, and he stood at the door of the house of Elisha10And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go, and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will receive health, and you will be clean.11And becoming angry, Naaman went away, saying: "I thought that he would have come out to me, and, standing, would have invoked the name of the Lord, his God, and that he would have touched the place of the leprosy with his hand, and so have healed me12Are not the Abana and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel, so that I might wash in them and be cleansed?" But then, after he had turned himself away and was leaving with indignation13his servants approached him, and they said to him: "If the prophet had told you, father, to do something great, certainly you ought to have done it. How much more so, now that he has said to you: ‘Wash, and you will be clean?’ 14So he descended and washed in the Jordan seven times, in accord with the word of the man of God. And his flesh was restored, like the flesh of a little child. And he was made clean15And returning to the man of God, with his entire retinue, he arrived, and stood before him, and he said: "Truly, I know there is no other God, in all the earth, except in Israel. And so I beg you to accept a blessing from your servant.
Romans
1Therefore, having been justified by faith, let us be at peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ2For through him we also have access by faith to this grace, in which we stand firm, and to glory, in the hope of the glory of the sons of God5but hope is not unfounded, because the love of God is poured forth in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us6Yet why did Christ, while we were still infirm, at the proper time, suffer death for the impious7Now someone might barely be willing to die for the sake of justice, for example, perhaps someone might dare to die for the sake of a good man8But God demonstrates his love for us in that, while we were yet sinners, at the proper time
Luke
24Then he said: "Amen I say to you, that no prophet is accepted in his own country25In truth, I say to you, there were many widows in the days of Elijah in Israel, when the heavens were closed for three years and six months, when a great famine had occurred throughout the entire land26And to none of these was Elijah sent, except to Zarephath of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow27And there were many lepers in Israel under the prophet Elisha. And none of these was cleansed, except Naaman the Syrian.28And all those in the synagogue, upon hearing these things, were filled with anger29And they rose up and drove him beyond the city. And they brought him all the way to the edge of the mount, upon which their city had been built, so that they might thrown him down violently30But passing through their midst, he went away
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful stories that remind us of God's universal mercy and the boundless nature of His love.
First, in the story of Naaman, we see a man who, despite his high status, is humbled by leprosy. Through the faith of a young servant girl and the prophet Elisha, Naaman learns to trust in God's unexpected ways, leading to his healing. This story teaches us the importance of humility and obedience, showing that God's grace can come through unexpected means and is not limited to any particular group.
In the Gospel, Jesus faces rejection in His hometown, yet He uses this moment to highlight how God's mercy has often been directed to those outside the chosen people, as seen in the examples of Elijah and Elisha. This underscores the theme that God's love is inclusive, not confined by borders or status.
The second reading from Romans deepens this understanding, emphasizing that we are justified by faith and that God's love, demonstrated through Christ's sacrifice, is poured into our hearts. This love is not conditional; it is given even when we are still sinners, illustrating the depth of God's grace.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to trust in God's plan, even when it seems unconventional, and to embrace His universal love without boundaries. Let us approach life with humility, open to God's unexpected ways, and remember that His love is for everyone. May we reflect this love in our actions, trusting in His providence and sharing His mercy with all.