Daily Readings - Mon Mar 11 2019
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 remind us of the profound connection between our actions and our relationship with God. In the first reading from Leviticus, we are called to holiness through specific moral guidelines: not stealing, not lying, not oppressing others, and treating all people justly. These commands are not just rules; they are a way of life that reflects the holiness of God. The passage emphasizes that true holiness is lived out in our everyday interactions with others, especially the most vulnerable among us.
In the Gospel, Jesus paints a vivid picture of the final judgment, where he separates the sheep from the goats based on how they treated the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned. Those who served the least among them served Jesus himself, while those who ignored them turned away from Jesus. This passage is not about grand gestures but about the small, consistent acts of love and compassion we show to others every day. It reminds us that our faith is not just about what we believe but about how we live out those beliefs in service to others.
These readings challenge us to reflect on how we live our daily lives. Are we treating others with justice and kindness? Are we seeing Christ in those around us, especially in those who are marginalized or overlooked? The moral lesson is clear: holiness is not about extraordinary achievements but about the ordinary, everyday choices we make to love and serve others. Let us strive to live with integrity, compassion, and a deep awareness that every interaction is an opportunity to encounter Christ. In doing so, we not only build a more just and loving world but also prepare ourselves for eternal life with God.