Daily Readings - Sat Mar 21 2020
Hosea
15I will return again to my place, until they acknowledge their guilt and seek my face, and in their distress earnestly seek me.
1"Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.2After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.3Let us know; let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth."4What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? Your love is like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes early away.5Therefore I have hewn them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth, and my judgment goes forth as the light.6For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
Luke
9He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt:10"Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.11The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.12I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.'13But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!'14I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we hear a powerful call to humility and a deeper relationship with God. The first reading from Hosea speaks of a people who have wandered from the Lord but are invited to return to him with humble hearts. Hosea describes a God who longs to heal and restore his people, but he laments their superficial devotion, which is as fleeting as the morning mist. The prophet emphasizes that true worship is not about external rituals but about seeking God with sincerity and knowledge. The second reading from Luke’s Gospel reinforces this message through the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee, confident in his own righteousness, prays with pride, while the tax collector, humbled by his sinfulness, cries out for mercy. Jesus makes it clear that it is the humble, not the self-righteous, who are justified in God’s sight.
These readings are deeply connected, as both Hosea and Jesus challenge us to examine the state of our hearts. Hosea calls us to move beyond superficial religion, while Jesus exposes the dangers of pride and self-reliance. Together, they remind us that true faith is not about comparing ourselves to others or relying on our own works, but about acknowledging our need for God and approaching him with humility. This is a timeless message, as relevant today as it was in Hosea’s time or when Jesus walked among us.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How do we approach God in our prayers and in our lives? Do we come with the humility of the tax collector, recognizing our limitations and sins, or do we, like the Pharisee, focus on our own perceived righteousness? Let us strive to cultivate a spirit of humility and sincerity, knowing that it is only when we acknowledge our need for God that we can truly experience his healing and restoration. May we seek the Lord with humble hearts, for it is in humility that we find true justification and peace.