Daily Readings - Mon Mar 07 2022
Leviticus
1And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,2"Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.11"You shall not steal; you shall not deal falsely; you shall not lie to one another.12You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the LORD.13"You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him. The wages of a hired servant shall not remain with you all night until the morning.14You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the LORD.15"You shall do no injustice in court. You shall not be partial to the poor or defer to the great, but in righteousness shall you judge your neighbor.16You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people, and you shall not stand up against the life of your neighbor: I am the LORD.17"You shall not hate your brother in your heart, but you shall reason frankly with your neighbor, lest you incur sin because of him.18You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD.
Matthew
31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.32Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.33And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.34Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.35For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,36I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'37Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?38And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?39And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?'40And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.'41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.42For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,43I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.'44Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?'45Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.'46And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Sermon
The readings today remind us of the profound connection between holiness and how we treat others. In the first reading from Leviticus, God calls the Israelites to be holy, not by some abstract standard, but through concrete actions of justice, compassion, and love for their neighbors. The text forbids stealing, lying, and oppressing others, emphasizing that true holiness is lived out in everyday interactions. It challenges us to see God in the face of the poor, the marginalized, and even our enemies, calling us to judge justly and love without condition.
In the Gospel, Jesus takes this idea a step further, revealing that our ultimate judgment will be based on how we treat the most vulnerable among us. The parable of the sheep and goats makes it clear that Christ identifies himself with the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned. When we serve these "least ones," we serve Christ himself. Conversely, when we ignore or neglect them, we neglect Christ. This passage is not about earning salvation through good works but about recognizing that our faith is made visible in our love and care for others.
These readings invite us to reflect on our daily lives. How do we encounter Christ in the people we meet? Do we see him in the coworker who needs a kind word, the neighbor who needs help, or the stranger who needs a smile? Holiness is not about grand gestures but about the small, consistent acts of love and compassion we show to others. As we go about our day, let us remember that every person we meet is an opportunity to encounter and serve Christ. May we strive to live in such a way that we not only honor God’s command to be holy but also make his love and mercy tangible in the world.