Daily Readings - Mon Jun 22 2020
2 Kings
5Then the king of Assyria invaded all the land and came to Samaria, and for three years he besieged it.6In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria, and he carried the Israelites away to Assyria and placed them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.7And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods8and walked in the customs of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel, and in the customs that the kings of Israel had practiced.13Yet the LORD warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, "Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets."14But they would not listen, but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the LORD their God.15They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the LORD had commanded them that they should not do like them.18Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only.
Matthew
1"Judge not, that you be not judged.2For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.3Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?4Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye?5You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of sin, judgment, and humility. In the first reading from 2 Kings, we witness the fall of Israel and their exile into Assyria. This narrative serves as a theological explanation for their conquest, highlighting their turning away from God towards idolatry and disobedience. The consequences of their actions are clear: exile and separation from the covenant. This historical account underscores the importance of faithfulness and the repercussions of neglecting divine guidance.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches us about the dangers of hypocrisy in judgment. He admonishes us not to judge others lest we be judged, using the vivid metaphor of removing the plank from our own eye before addressing the splinter in another's. This teaching, part of the Sermon on the Mount, emphasizes the need for self-reflection and humility in our interactions with others.
Both readings connect through the themes of sin and judgment. While 2 Kings illustrates the collective judgment of a nation for its sins, Matthew focuses on individual judgment and the hypocrisy of condemning others while ignoring our own faults. This duality reminds us that recognizing our own shortcomings is essential before we can address those of others. In our daily lives, this teaches us to approach others with compassion and humility, fostering healthier relationships and communities. The moral lesson here is clear: true wisdom lies in self-awareness and humility, guiding us to lead by example rather than judgment.