Daily Readings - Wed Mar 03 2021
Jeremiah
18Then they said, "Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah, for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us strike him with the tongue, and let us not pay attention to any of his words."19Hear me, O LORD, and listen to the voice of my adversaries.20Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for my life. Remember how I stood before you to speak good for them, to turn away your wrath from them.
Matthew
17And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside, and on the way he said to them,18"See, we are going up to Jerusalem. And the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death19and deliver him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified, and he will be raised on the third day."20Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something.21And he said to her, "What do you want?" She said to him, "Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom."22Jesus answered, "You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?" They said to him, "We are able."23He said to them, "You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."24And when the ten heard it, they were indignant at the two brothers.25But Jesus called them to him and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.26It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,27and whoever would be first among you must be your slave,28even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound lessons on trust and humility. Jeremiah, facing opposition and plots against him, trusts in God’s justice and deliverance, despite the adversity. Similarly, in Matthew, Jesus foretells his passion and resurrection, teaching his disciples about true greatness through service. The mother of James and John seeks positions of honor, but Jesus redirects the disciples to a path of humility and servant-leadership.
Jeremiah’s context is one of persecution, common for prophets, while Jesus’s context is preparing his disciples for his death and redefining leadership. Both readings highlight trust in God and the value of humility. Jeremiah’s trust in God’s justice and Jesus’s emphasis on service illustrate that true strength lies not in power but in faith and serving others.
In our daily lives, these readings remind us to trust God during hardships and embrace humility. The moral lesson is clear: our faith should lead us to serve others selflessly, reflecting the heart of Christ. Let us strive to trust God and live with humility, finding greatness in serving others.