Daily Readings - Thu Jun 19 2025
2 Corinthians
1I wish that you would endure a small amount of my foolishness, so as to bear with me2For I am jealous toward you, with the jealousy of God. And I have espoused you to one husband, offering you as a chaste virgin to Christ3But I am afraid lest, as the serpent led astray Eve by his cleverness, so your minds might be corrupted and might fall away from the simplicity which is in Christ4For if anyone arrives preaching another Christ, one whom we have not preached; or if you receive another Spirit, one whom you have not received; or another Gospel, one which you have not been given: you might permit him to guide you5For I consider that I have done nothing less than the great Apostles6For although I may be unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge. But, in all things, we have been made manifest to you7Or did I commit a sin by humbling myself so that you would be exalted? For I preached the Gospel of God to you freely8I have taken from other churches, receiving a stipend from them to the benefit of your ministry9And when I was with you and in need, I was burdensome to no one. For the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied whatever was lacking to me. And in all things, I have kept myself, and I will keep myself, from being burdensome to you10The truth of Christ is in me, and so this glorying shall not be broken away from me in the regions of Achaia11Why so? Is it because I do not love you? God knows I do
Matthew
7And when praying, do not choose many words, as the pagans do. For they think that by their excess of words they might be heeded8Therefore, do not choose to imitate them. For your Father knows what your needs may be, even before you ask him9Therefore, you shall pray in this way: Our Father, who is in heaven: May your name be kept holy10May your kingdom come. May your will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth11Give us this day our life-sustaining bread12And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors13And lead us not into temptation. But free us from evil. Amen14For if you will forgive men their sins, your heavenly Father also will forgive you your offenses15But if you will not forgive men, neither will your Father forgive you your sins
Sermon
In today’s readings, we hear St. Paul expressing his deep concern for the Corinthians, fearing that they might be led astray by false teachings. He reminds them of his own sacrifices and dedication, emphasizing that he has not burdened them financially, relying instead on the support of other communities. Paul’s words reveal his jealousy for the Church—not out of selfishness, but out of a profound love for their spiritual well-being. He wants them to remain pure and faithful to the Gospel he preached, untainted by the cleverness of the serpent or the allure of false gospels.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the nature of prayer. He warns against the kind of prayer that relies on many words, like the pagans who think that quantity of speech will ensure they are heard. Instead, Jesus gives us the Lord’s Prayer, a simple yet profound model of how to approach God. He emphasizes that our Father already knows what we need before we ask, so our prayer should be one of trust, simplicity, and sincerity. The Lord’s Prayer is not just a formula but a way of life: seeking the Father’s will, asking for daily bread, and forgiving others as we seek forgiveness. Jesus makes it clear that our relationship with God is deeply tied to our relationships with others—forgiveness is not optional but essential for receiving God’s mercy.
These readings remind us of the importance of authenticity in our faith and relationships. Like Paul, we are called to be pure and steadfast in our commitment to Christ, avoiding the temptations and deceptions of the world. Like the Lord’s Prayer, our prayer life should be rooted in simplicity, trust, and a willingness to forgive. As we go about our daily lives, let us strive to imitate Paul’s zeal for the Gospel and Jesus’ teachings on prayer. May our hearts remain pure, our prayers be sincere, and our lives be marked by forgiveness and love. In doing so, we will draw closer to God and reflect His truth and mercy to the world around us.