Daily Readings - Fri Jul 17 2020
Isaiah
1In those days Hezekiah became sick and was at the point of death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him, and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: Set your house in order, for you shall die, you shall not recover."2Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD,3and said, "Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before you in faithfulness and with a whole heart, and have done what is good in your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly.4Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah:5"Go and say to Hezekiah, Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer; I have seen your tears. Behold, I will add fifteen years to your life.6I will deliver you and this city out of the hand of the king of Assyria, and will defend this city.21Now Isaiah had said, "Let them take a cake of figs and apply it to the boil, that he may recover."22Hezekiah also had said, "What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the LORD?"7"This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do this thing that he has promised:8Behold, I will make the shadow cast by the declining sun on the dial of Ahaz turn back ten steps." So the sun turned back on the dial the ten steps by which it had declined.
Matthew
1At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.2But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, "Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath."3He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him:4how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests?5Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?6I tell you, something greater than the temple is here.7And if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless.8For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound narratives that illuminate the essence of God's mercy and the balance between adherence to law and compassionate action. The first reading from Isaiah recounts King Hezekiah's illness and his heartfelt prayer to God. Despite the prophecy of his impending death, Hezekiah's sincere plea and faith lead to God's merciful extension of his life by 15 years. This passage underscores the power of prayer and God's willingness to show compassion, even in the face of mortality.
The Gospel from Matthew presents a different yet complementary scenario. Jesus and His disciples encounter criticism from the Pharisees for picking grain on the Sabbath, which was against traditional law. Jesus defends their actions by referencing precedents from the Old Testament, such as David eating the bread of Presence and priests working on the Sabbath. He emphasizes that human needs and mercy should sometimes take precedence over strict legal observance, declaring Himself the Lord of the Sabbath.
Both readings highlight the importance of mercy and compassion. Hezekiah's story shows that sincere prayer can move God's heart, while Jesus teaches that mercy should guide our actions, even when it challenges traditional norms. In our daily lives, we are called to trust in God's mercy, approach Him with humility, and balance our actions with compassion, remembering that love and kindness are at the heart of our faith.