Daily Readings - Mon Mar 18 2019
Daniel
3Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.4I prayed to the LORD my God and made confession, saying, "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments,5we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.6We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.7To you, O Lord, belongs righteousness, but to us open shame, as at this day, to the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to all Israel, those who are near and those who are far away, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of the treachery that they have committed against you.8To us, O Lord, belongs open shame, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against you.9To the Lord our God belong mercy and forgiveness, for we have rebelled against him10and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God by walking in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
Luke
36Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.37"Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;38give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of mercy, repentance, and the call to live as disciples of God. In the first reading from Daniel, we hear a heartfelt prayer of confession and supplication. Daniel acknowledges the sins of his people, humbly admitting their failure to follow God’s commandments. He pleads for mercy, recognizing that justice belongs to God while shame and confusion belong to those who have turned away. This passage reminds us of the importance of humility and the need to acknowledge our own shortcomings before God. It is a call to repentance, urging us to turn back to the Lord with sincerity and trust in His mercy.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the necessity of living out God’s mercy in our relationships with others. He instructs us not to judge or condemn but instead to forgive and give generously. The measure we use to measure others, He warns, will be the same measure used for us. This teaching challenges us to reflect on how we treat one another. Are we quick to forgive, or do we hold grudges? Do we show compassion to those in need, or do we turn away? Jesus is clear: our actions toward others are a reflection of our relationship with God. If we seek to be merciful as our Father is merciful, we must act with kindness, understanding, and generosity.
Together, these readings remind us that our faith is not just about what we believe but also about how we live. Daniel’s prayer shows us the importance of humility and repentance, while Jesus’ teaching calls us to extend God’s mercy to others. In our daily lives, let us strive to be people of compassion and forgiveness. May we turn to God with sincere hearts, acknowledging our sins and seeking His mercy. And may we, in turn, be instruments of that mercy in the lives of those around us.