Daily Readings - Mon Feb 19 2018
Leviticus
1And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,2"Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.11"You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another.12You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.13"You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning.14You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.15"You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.16You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the LORD.17"You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him.18You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.
Matthew
31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.32Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.33And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.34Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.35For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,36I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'37Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?38And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?39And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?'40And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.42For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'44Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?'45Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'46And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on how we live out our faith in everyday life. In the first reading from Leviticus, we are reminded of the call to holiness and the practical ways this is expressed: not stealing, lying, or oppressing others, but instead treating all people justly and with compassion. This passage emphasizes that holiness is not just a spiritual state but is lived out in concrete actions toward others. In the Gospel, Jesus paints a vivid picture of the final judgment, where the criterion for eternal life is how we have treated the most vulnerable among us—the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned. Those who served these "least ones" are welcomed into eternal life, while those who ignored them are separated from God.
Both readings are connected by the theme of living out our faith through love and justice. Leviticus provides the moral foundation for how we should treat others, while Matthew’s Gospel reveals the ultimate consequences of living according to that foundation. Jesus makes it clear that our relationship with God is inseparable from our relationship with others, especially those in need. The way we treat the poor, the stranger, and the marginalized is the way we treat Christ himself. This connection challenges us to see God in every person we encounter and to act with the same love and mercy that God has shown us.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How do I treat those around me? Do I see Christ in the faces of those who are suffering or overlooked? The moral lesson here is clear: our faith is not just about words or beliefs but about the concrete actions we take to love and serve others. May we strive to live with compassion, integrity, and justice, knowing that our actions have eternal significance. Let us remember that holiness is not an abstract ideal but a way of life that flows from a deep love for God and for our neighbor.