Daily Readings - Tue Jun 14 2022
1 Kings
17Then the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,18"Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, who is in Samaria; behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession.19And you shall say to him, 'Thus says the LORD, "Have you killed and also taken possession?"' And you shall say to him, 'Thus says the LORD: "In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick your own blood."'"20Ahab said to Elijah, "Have you found me, O my enemy?" He answered, "I have found you, because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the LORD.21Behold, I will bring disaster upon you. I will utterly burn you up, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel.22And I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the anger to which you have provoked me, and because you have made Israel to sin.23And of Jezebel the LORD also said, 'The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the walls of Jezreel.'24Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat, and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the heavens shall eat."25(There was none who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the LORD like Ahab, whom Jezebel his wife incited.26He acted very abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the LORD cast out before the people of Israel.)27And when Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth on his flesh and fasted and lay in sackcloth and went about dejectedly.28And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,29"Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son's days I will bring the disaster upon his house."
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of justice, mercy, and the call to live a life of love and compassion. In the first reading from 1 Kings, we encounter the story of Ahab, the king of Israel, who, under the influence of his wife Jezebel, seized the vineyard of Naboth and had him killed. Elijah, the prophet, confronts Ahab with a stern warning of divine judgment, but Ahab’s humble repentance delays the punishment. This story highlights the consequences of sin and the possibility of mercy when we turn back to God. In the Gospel, Jesus challenges us to go beyond the law of loving our neighbors and hating our enemies. He calls us to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and strive for perfection as our heavenly Father is perfect. This teaching elevates the moral standard, urging us to imitate God’s universal love, which extends even to those who do not deserve it.
The connection between the two readings lies in the interplay between justice and mercy. In the Old Testament, justice is often tied to punishment for wrongdoing, yet Ahab’s repentance shows that God’s mercy can temper judgment. In the New Testament, Jesus takes this further by emphasizing that love and mercy should characterize our relationship with others, even those who wrong us. Together, these readings remind us that while sin has consequences, repentance and love can transform situations and relationships.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to examine how we treat others, especially those we may consider enemies or who have wronged us. Jesus’ call to love our enemies is not about feelings but about actions—doing good, praying, and blessing those who persecute us. This is difficult, but it is the path to true holiness and the perfection that God calls us to. The story of Ahab reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s mercy, and our humble repentance can change the course of our lives. Let us strive to live out these teachings, trusting in God’s grace to help us love as He loves.