Daily Readings - Wed Feb 14 2018
Joel
12"Yet even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;13and rend your hearts and not your garments." Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.14Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God?15Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly;16gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.17Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep and say, "Spare your people, O LORD, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'"18Then the LORD became jealous for his land and had pity on his people.
Matthew
1"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.2"Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,4so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.5"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.6But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.16"And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.17But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,18that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on the essence of true spirituality and our relationship with God. The prophet Joel calls us to return to God with our whole heart, emphasizing the importance of genuine repentance over outward displays. This call is set against a backdrop of crisis, urging the people to seek God’s mercy through fasting, weeping, and a sincere change of heart. Joel reminds us that true conversion involves rending our hearts, not just our garments, seeking God’s compassion and steadfast love.
The second reading from 2 Corinthians complements Joel’s message by highlighting our role as ambassadors for Christ, urging reconciliation with God. Paul emphasizes that Christ, who was without sin, became sin for us, allowing us to become the righteousness of God. This profound truth underscores the urgency of not taking God’s grace in vain, recognizing that the present moment is a favorable time for salvation. It encourages us to embrace this day of grace with openness and gratitude.
In the Gospel, Matthew teaches us about the proper way to practice almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. Jesus warns against hypocrisy, advising us to perform these acts in secret so that our reward comes from God, not from human praise. This teaching from the Sermon on the Mount reminds us that true piety is about sincerity and humility, seeking God’s approval over human recognition.
Applying these readings to our daily lives, we are called to examine our motivations and ensure our actions are rooted in a genuine relationship with God. Let us not seek to impress others with our religious practices, but rather cultivate a deep, personal connection with our Father in secret. In doing so, we honor God’s desire for sincerity and humility. The moral lesson here is the importance of living with hearts open to conversion and reconciliation, embracing each moment as an opportunity to grow closer to God. Let us cherish the present as a time of grace, living with sincerity and humility, mindful that our true reward comes from God.