Daily Readings - Wed Feb 26 2020
Joel
12"Yet even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;13and rend your hearts and not your garments." Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.14Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God?15Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly;16gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.17Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep and say, "Spare your people, O LORD, and make not your heritage a reproach, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'"18Then the LORD became jealous for his land and had pity on his people.
Matthew
1"Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.2"Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,4so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.5"And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.6But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.16"And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.17But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,18that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of true conversion, the urgency of reconciliation, and the importance of living our faith with sincerity and humility. In the first reading, Joel calls the people to return to the Lord with their whole heart, warning against superficial acts of repentance. He emphasizes that true conversion is not about outward displays but about an inner transformation, a rending of the heart rather than the garments. This call to authenticity is echoed in the Gospel, where Jesus warns against performing acts of piety—such as almsgiving, prayer, and fasting—for the sake of appearances. He teaches that true devotion must be done in secret, directed toward God alone, who sees what is hidden.
The second reading from 2 Corinthians serves as a bridge between Joel’s call to conversion and Jesus’ teachings on humility. Paul reminds us that we are ambassadors for Christ, entrusted with the ministry of reconciliation. He urges us not to waste the grace of God, emphasizing that now is the time for salvation. This urgency aligns with Joel’s plea for the people to gather, fast, and weep, and with Jesus’ call to sincerity in our spiritual practices. Together, the readings remind us that our relationship with God is not a performance for others but a deeply personal and intimate encounter.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to examine our motives and the depth of our faith. Are we seeking to impress others with our piety, or are we truly seeking to please God? Do we approach prayer, fasting, and acts of charity with authenticity, or are we caught up in outward appearances? The moral lesson is clear: true conversion happens in the heart, and genuine faith is lived in humility and sincerity. Let us heed the call to rend our hearts, to pray in secret, and to live our faith in a way that honors God alone. In doing so, we will experience the transformative power of grace and the joy of living as children of God.