Daily Readings - Sat Feb 25 2023
Isaiah
9Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, 'Here I am.' If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,10if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.11And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong; and you shall be like a watered garden, like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.12And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.13"If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly;14then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
Luke
27After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, "Follow me."28And leaving everything, he rose and followed him.29And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them.30And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?"31And Jesus answered them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.32I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages about living out our faith through compassionate actions. The prophet Isaiah challenges us to move beyond superficial religious practices, emphasizing that true fasting involves setting the oppressed free, sharing with the hungry, and comforting the afflicted. This call to justice and mercy is not just a suggestion but a divine imperative. In the Gospel, Jesus scandalizes the Pharisees by dining with tax collectors and sinners, declaring that he came not for the self-righteous, but for those who recognize their need for repentance.
Both readings highlight the importance of living out our faith in tangible ways. Isaiah's message is set in a context where the people were practicing fasting, but their actions did not reflect a commitment to justice and care for the vulnerable. Similarly, in Luke's account, Jesus challenges the Pharisees' hypocrisy, pointing out that their focus on external purity missed the heart of God's mercy and love. These passages remind us that our faith must be expressed in how we treat others, especially those on the margins of society.
As we reflect on these readings, let us examine our own lives. Are we content with outward displays of piety, or do we allow our faith to transform us into instruments of God's justice and love? Let us seek to be like Levi, who left everything to follow Jesus, and like Jesus himself, who reached out to those society had rejected. May we find joy in serving others and may our lives be a reflection of God's light in a world that often lives in darkness.