Daily Readings - Sat Feb 27 2021
Deuteronomy
16"This day the LORD your God commands you to do these statutes and rules. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul.17You have declared today that the LORD is your God, and that you will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his commandments and his rules, and will obey his voice.18And the LORD has declared today that you are a people for his treasured possession, as he has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments,19and that he will set you in praise and in fame and in honor high above all nations that he has made, and that you shall be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised."
Matthew
43"You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'44But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,45so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.46For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?47And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?48You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the profound themes of covenant, love, and holiness. The first reading from Deuteronomy reminds us of the sacred bond between God and His people. The Israelites, having chosen to follow the Lord, are called to live according to His commandments and statutes, not out of obligation, but as a people set apart, holy and beloved. This passage emphasizes the mutual choosing—God chooses us, and we choose Him—highlighting the intimate and intentional nature of this relationship.
The Gospel from Matthew expands this idea of covenant and holiness, challenging us to live it out in a radical way. Jesus teaches us to love not just our neighbors but also our enemies, to pray for those who persecute us, and to extend kindness to those who hate us. This is not merely a suggestion but a call to imitate the perfection of our heavenly Father, who showers His blessings equally on the just and the unjust. Jesus reminds us that loving only those who love us back is no different from the way the world operates. True holiness, therefore, lies in going beyond the ordinary, in mirroring God’s universal and unconditional love.
These readings remind us that being chosen by God is not a privilege but a responsibility. It calls us to live in a way that reflects His nature—merciful, generous, and perfect. In our daily lives, this means breaking free from the limits of our natural inclinations and embracing the supernatural love that Jesus exemplified. Let us ask ourselves: Do we love only those who are easy to love, or do we stretch our hearts to include those who challenge us? Do we pray for those who wrong us, or do we hold onto resentment? The path to holiness is not about being better than others but about being open vessels of God’s love, even when it’s difficult. As we strive to live this way, we become the light of the world, reflecting the perfect love of our Father in heaven.