Daily Readings - Fri Aug 14 2020
First Reading - Ezekiel 16.1-15, 60, 63 or Ezekiel 16.59-63
Ezekiel
1Again the word of the LORD came to me:2"Son of man, make known to Jerusalem her abominations,3and say, Thus says the Lord GOD to Jerusalem: Your origin and your birth are of the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.4And as for your birth, on the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to cleanse you, nor rubbed with salt, nor wrapped in swaddling cloths.5No eye pitied you, to do any of these things to you out of compassion for you, but you were cast out on the open field, for you were abhorred, on the day that you were born.6"And when I passed by you and saw you wallowing in your blood, I said to you in your blood, 'Live!' I said to you in your blood, 'Live!'7I made you flourish like a plant of the field. And you grew up and became tall and arrived at full adornment. Your breasts were formed, and your hair had grown; yet you were naked and bare.8"When I passed by you again and saw you, behold, you were at the age for love, and I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness; I made my vow to you and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Lord GOD, and you became mine.9Then I bathed you with water and washed off your blood from you and anointed you with oil.10I clothed you also with embroidered cloth and shod you with fine leather. I wrapped you in fine linen and covered you with silk.11And I adorned you with ornaments and put bracelets on your wrists and a chain on your neck.12And I put a ring on your nose and earrings in your ears and a beautiful crown on your head.13Thus you were adorned with gold and silver, and your clothing was of fine linen and silk and embroidered cloth. You ate fine flour and honey and oil. You grew exceedingly beautiful and advanced to royalty.14And your renown went forth among the nations because of your beauty, for it was perfect through the splendor that I had bestowed on you, declares the Lord GOD.15"But you trusted in your beauty and played the whore because of your renown and lavished your whorings on any passerby; your beauty became his.60yet I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant.63that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord GOD."
Ezekiel
59"For thus says the Lord GOD: I will deal with you as you have done, you who have despised the oath in breaking the covenant,60yet I will remember my covenant with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant.61Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you take your sisters, both your elder and your younger, and I give them to you as daughters, but not on account of the covenant with you.62I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall know that I am the LORD,63that you may remember and be confounded, and never open your mouth again because of your shame, when I atone for you for all that you have done, declares the Lord GOD."
Matthew
3And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?"4He answered, "Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female,5and said, 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh'?6So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate."7They said to him, "Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?"8He said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.9And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery."10The disciples said to him, "If such is the case of a man with his wife, it is better not to marry."11But he said to them, "Not everyone can receive this saying, but only those to whom it is given.12For there are eunuchs who have been so from birth, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by men, and there are eunuchs who have made themselves eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Let the one who is able to receive this receive it."
Sermon
Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the sacredness of relationships and the enduring nature of God’s love. In Ezekiel, we hear the story of Jerusalem, portrayed as a foundling child, unwanted and left to die. Yet, God sees her, rescues her, and transforms her into a queen. This metaphor speaks of God’s mercy and the transformative power of His love. However, the passage also reveals the consequences of unfaithfulness, as Jerusalem turns away from God, leading to brokenness. Still, God remains faithful, offering a covenant of everlasting love.
In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus is questioned by the Pharisees about divorce. He responds by emphasizing the permanence of marriage as part of God’s original design. While Moses allowed divorce due to human hardness, Jesus makes it clear that this was not God’s intent. He teaches that divorce and remarriage can lead to adultery, except in cases of unfaithfulness. This challenging teaching leads His disciples to question the practicality of marriage, prompting Jesus to discuss different forms of chastity and the call to some to remain single for the kingdom.
Both readings remind us of the sacredness of commitments and the call to faithfulness. Ezekiel’s prophecy shows us that our relationship with God is rooted in His faithfulness, even when we fail. Jesus’ teaching on marriage invites us to reflect on the seriousness of our commitments and the need to approach them with love and perseverance. Let us strive to live out our relationships—whether with God or with others—with fidelity and gratitude, recognizing the transformative power of God’s love in our lives.