Daily Readings - Mon Jun 20 2022
2 Kings
5Then the king of Assyria invaded all the land and came to Samaria, and for three years he besieged it.6In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria, and he carried the Israelites away to Assyria and placed them in Halah, and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.7And this occurred because the people of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of the land of Egypt from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods8and walked in the customs of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel, and in the customs that the kings of Israel had practiced.13Yet the LORD warned Israel and Judah by every prophet and every seer, saying, "Turn from your evil ways and keep my commandments and my statutes, in accordance with all the Law that I commanded your fathers, and that I sent to you by my servants the prophets."14But they would not listen, but were stubborn, as their fathers had been, who did not believe in the LORD their God.15They despised his statutes and his covenant that he made with their fathers and the warnings that he gave them. They went after false idols and became false, and they followed the nations that were around them, concerning whom the LORD had commanded them that they should not do like them.18Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only.
Matthew
1"Judge not, that you be not judged.2For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.3Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?4Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye?5You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
Sermon
The first reading from 2 Kings recounts the fall of Israel, highlighting their disobedience and idolatry, which led to their captivity. The Israelites turned away from God, worshipped false idols, and ignored the prophets' warnings, resulting in their exile. This serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of spiritual rebellion and the importance of heeding divine guidance.
In the Gospel, Matthew 7:1-5, Jesus teaches about the dangers of hypocrisy and judgment. He urges us to examine our own faults before correcting others, using the vivid metaphor of a plank in one's own eye. This emphasizes the need for self-awareness and humility in our interactions with others.
Both readings connect through their focus on self-reflection and accountability. The fall of Israel reminds us of the consequences of ignoring our sins, while Jesus' teaching encourages us to address our own shortcomings first. In daily life, this calls us to humility and introspection, prompting us to look inward before judging others. The moral lesson is clear: true wisdom lies in recognizing our own flaws and seeking personal growth, fostering a more compassionate and just community.