Daily Readings - Tue Aug 22 2017
Judges
11Now the angel of the LORD came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites.12And the angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, "The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor."13And Gideon said to him, "Please, sir, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted to us, saying, 'Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?' But now the LORD has forsaken us and given us into the hand of Midian."14And the LORD turned to him and said, "Go in this might of yours and save Israel from the hand of Midian; do not I send you?"15And he said to him, "Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house."16And the LORD said to him, "But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man."17And he said to him, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, then show me a sign that it is you who speaks with me.18Please do not depart from here until I come to you and bring out my present and set it before you." And he said, "I will stay till you return."19So Gideon went into his house and prepared a young goat and unleavened cakes from an ephah of flour. The meat he put in a basket, and the broth he put in a pot, and brought them to him under the terebinth and presented them.20And the angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened cakes, and put them on this rock, and pour the broth over them." And he did so.21Then the angel of the LORD reached out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and touched the meat and the unleavened cakes. And fire sprang up from the rock and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. And the angel of the LORD vanished from his sight.22Then Gideon perceived that he was the angel of the LORD. And Gideon said, "Alas, O Lord GOD! For now I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face."23But the LORD said to him, "Peace be to you. Do not fear; you shall not die."24Then Gideon built an altar there to the LORD and called it, The LORD is Peace. To this day it still stands at Ophrah, which belongs to the Abiezrites.
Matthew
23And Jesus said to his disciples, "Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven.24Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God."25When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, "Who then can be saved?"26But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."27Then Peter said in reply, "See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?"28Jesus said to them, "Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.29And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name's sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.30But many who are first will be last, and the last first.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound lessons on faith and trust in God. The first reading from Judges introduces us to Gideon, an unlikely hero who is called by God to lead Israel against the Midianites. Despite his feelings of inadequacy and doubt, Gideon is reassured by the angel's presence and a miraculous sign, which strengthens his faith. This story reminds us that God often chooses the humble and the weak to accomplish great things, teaching us to trust in His plan even when we feel insignificant.
The Gospel reading from Matthew challenges our understanding of wealth and the kingdom of heaven. Jesus uses the striking image of a camel passing through a needle's eye to illustrate the difficulty of the wealthy entering heaven. This teaching shocks the disciples, as wealth was often seen as a blessing. However, Jesus emphasizes that while this may be impossible for humans, it is possible with God. He then reassures the disciples that their sacrifices will be rewarded, but also warns that worldly status does not guarantee heavenly reward. This teaches us to reevaluate our priorities, focusing on spiritual wealth and trust in God's providence.
Both readings call us to reflect on our trust in God and our priorities. Like Gideon, we may face challenges that make us doubt our abilities, but God's presence and promises can give us the courage to move forward. Similarly, Jesus' teaching on wealth reminds us to not be bound by material possessions, but to seek eternal rewards. Let us strive to trust in God's plan and prioritize spiritual wealth, knowing that He can make the impossible possible.