Daily Readings - Sat Mar 16 2019
Deuteronomy
16"This day the LORD your God commands you to do these statutes and rules. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul.17You have declared today that the LORD is your God, and that you will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his commandments and his rules, and will obey his voice.18And the LORD has declared today that you are a people for his treasured possession, as he has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments,19and that he will set you in praise and in fame and in honor high above all nations that he has made, and that you shall be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised."
Matthew
43"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,45so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?47And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?48You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Sermon
The first reading from Deuteronomy reminds us of the covenant God made with his people, calling them to live according to his commandments and statutes. The Israelites are instructed to obey God with all their heart and soul, acknowledging that they have been chosen by God to be his holy people. This passage emphasizes the reciprocal nature of the relationship between God and his people: just as God chooses and blesses them, they are called to respond by living faithfully and keeping his ways. The reading invites us to reflect on our own commitment to living as God’s people, called to holiness and fidelity.
In the Gospel, Jesus challenges us to go beyond the conventional understanding of love. He teaches that true love is not limited to those who love us but must extend even to our enemies. Jesus calls us to pray for those who persecute us and to do good to those who hate us. This radical teaching reflects the universal love of God, who sends rain and sunshine on both the just and the unjust. Jesus invites us to imitate this divine generosity and perfection, not by seeking reward or recognition, but by embracing the humility and selflessness of God’s love.
These readings remind us that our faith is not just about following rules or receiving blessings but about living in a way that reflects God’s character. Just as the Israelites were called to be a holy people, we too are called to be children of God, living in a way that mirrors his love and mercy. In our daily lives, this means choosing to love even when it’s difficult, forgiving those who wrong us, and treating everyone with kindness, regardless of how they treat us. May we strive to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect, not in our own strength, but by allowing his love to flow through us to all we encounter.