Daily Readings - Mon Jun 25 2018
2 Kings
5Then the king of Assyria invaded all the land and came to Samaria, and for three years he besieged it.6In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria, and he carried the Israelites away to Assyria and placed them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.7And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods8and walked in the customs of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel, and in the customs that the kings of Israel had practiced.13Yet the LORD warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, "Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets."14But they would not listen, but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the LORD their God.15They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the LORD had commanded them that they should not do like them.18Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only.
Matthew
1"Judge not, that you be not judged.2For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.3Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?4Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye?5You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are presented with two profound reflections on sin, judgment, and the call to self-examination. The first reading from 2 Kings recounts the fall of Israel, which occurred because the people turned away from God and followed the idolatrous practices of neighboring nations. Despite the warnings of prophets, they hardened their hearts and refused to return to the Lord, leading to their exile and suffering. This passage serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of spiritual complacency and the importance of fidelity to God’s covenant.
The Gospel reading from Matthew complements this theme, as Jesus teaches about the dangers of hypocrisy and judgment. He warns us not to judge others harshly, for we will be judged by the same standard we use on others. Jesus uses the vivid image of a splinter and a board to emphasize the need for self-reflection. Before we can help others see their faults, we must first acknowledge and address our own shortcomings. This teaching calls us to humility and honesty in our relationships with others and with God.
These readings remind us that true faith requires both a willingness to acknowledge our sins and a commitment to personal conversion. Just as the Israelites were called to return to the Lord, we too are invited to examine our lives, repent of our sins, and live according to God’s will. By doing so, we avoid the hypocrisy of judging others while ignoring our own faults. Let us approach life with humility, seeking to grow in holiness and to love others as God loves us.