Daily Readings - Sun Oct 29 2017
Exodus
21"You shall not wrong a sojourner or oppress him, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt.22You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child.23If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry,24and my wrath will burn, and I will kill you with the sword, and your wives shall become widows and your children fatherless.25"If you lend money to any of my people with you who is poor, you shall not be like a moneylender to him, and you shall not exact interest from him.26If ever you take your neighbor's cloak in pledge, you shall return it to him before the sun goes down,27for that is his only covering, and it is his cloak for his body; in what else shall he sleep? And if he cries to me, I will hear, for I am compassionate.
1 Thessalonians
5because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.6And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,7so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia.8For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.9For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,10and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
Matthew
34But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together.35And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.36"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"37And he said to him, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.38This is the great and first commandment.39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.40On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the heart of God’s law and the call to live a life of love, compassion, and faith. The first reading from Exodus emphasizes the importance of treating the vulnerable—newcomers, widows, orphans, and the poor—with justice and kindness. This passage reflects God’s special care for those who are marginalized and reminds us that our actions toward them are actions toward God. The second reading from 1 Thessalonians highlights the transformative power of the Gospel. The early Christian community in Thessalonica became a model of faith and joy, even in the face of suffering, because they embraced the Word of God with openness and courage. Their example encourages us to live our faith with authenticity and enthusiasm, inspiring others to do the same. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and the second is to love our neighbor as ourselves. These two commandments, Jesus says, are the foundation of the entire law and the prophets.
These readings are deeply connected. The command to love God and neighbor is not just a moral rule; it is the essence of who God is and how He calls us to live. In Exodus, we see this love expressed in concrete actions of justice and compassion toward the vulnerable. In Thessalonians, we see this love lived out in the joy and perseverance of the early Christians, who became a beacon of hope for others. In Matthew, Jesus simplifies the law to its core: love. Together, these readings remind us that faith is not just about words or rules but about how we live out our relationship with God and with one another.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How am I living out the commandment to love? Am I treating others with the same compassion and justice that God shows to me? Am I allowing the Gospel to transform my life and inspire others? Let us strive to be like the Thessalonians, who embraced the Word with joy and became a light to those around them. Let us also remember that love is not just a feeling but a choice—a choice to act with kindness, to stand with the vulnerable, and to reflect God’s love in all we do. May we, like the early Christians, become models of faith and love, shining the light of Christ in a world that so desperately needs it.