Daily Readings - Mon Jun 19 2017
2 Corinthians
1Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.2For he says, "In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you."Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.3We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,4but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities,5beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;6by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love;7by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;8through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true;9as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed;10as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
Matthew
38"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.'39But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.40And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.41And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.42Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are presented with powerful teachings on how to respond to life’s challenges with grace and love. The First Reading from 2 Corinthians reminds us that as ministers of God, we are called to endure hardships with patience and trust in His providence. Paul lists various trials—tribulation, imprisonment, rebellion—and encourages us to face them with patience, kindness, and truth. The Gospel from Matthew takes this a step further, as Jesus teaches us to go beyond merely enduring suffering. He calls us to respond actively with love and generosity, even to those who wrong us. Jesus’ teaching to turn the other cheek and to give freely challenges us to move beyond the natural human instinct of retaliation and instead to embrace a higher standard of love and forgiveness.
The context of these readings is crucial. Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, is urging them not to take God’s grace for granted and to live in a way that reflects their faith. He emphasizes that our actions should always be guided by love and patience, even in the face of adversity. In the Gospel, Jesus is teaching His disciples during the Sermon on the Mount, where He is setting forth the values of the Kingdom of God. These values often stand in contrast to the world’s way of responding to evil with more evil. Together, these readings remind us that our faith is not just about belief but about how we live out that belief in our daily lives.
Applying these teachings to our daily lives, we are called to reflect on how we respond to challenges and conflicts. Do we allow anger or resentment to guide our actions, or do we choose to respond with patience and kindness? When someone wrongs us, do we seek revenge, or do we offer forgiveness? When someone is in need, do we turn away, or do we give generously? These are not easy questions, but they are at the heart of living as disciples of Christ. The moral lesson here is clear: our faith is tested not in times of comfort but in times of difficulty. By enduring hardship with patience and responding to evil with love, we bear witness to the transformative power of God’s grace in our lives. Let us strive to live in such a way that our actions reflect the love and mercy of God, even when it is difficult.