Daily Readings - Tue Mar 07 2023
Isaiah
10Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom! Give ear to the teaching of our God, you people of Gomorrah!16Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil,17learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.18"Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.19If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;20but if you refuse and rebel, you shall be eaten by the sword; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken."27Zion shall be redeemed by justice, and those in her who repent, by righteousness.28But rebels and sinners shall be broken together, and those who forsake the LORD shall be consumed.31And the strong shall become tinder, and his work a spark, and both of them shall burn together, with none to quench them.
Matthew
1Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples,2"The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses' seat,3so practice and observe whatever they tell you--but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice.4They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger.5They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,6and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues7and greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others.8But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers.9And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven.10Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ.11The greatest among you shall be your servant.12Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Sermon
The readings today offer a powerful call to authenticity and integrity in our relationship with God and with others. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a stern warning to the leaders of God’s people, urging them to turn away from corruption and hypocrisy. The prophet condemns those who claim to follow God’s law but fail to live justly, exploiting the vulnerable and ignoring the plight of the widow and the orphan. Isaiah reminds us that true faith is not about outward appearances or empty rituals but about living with justice, compassion, and humility. He calls us to “learn to do good” and to seek judgment that uplifts the marginalized. The prophet’s words are a reminder that our actions must align with our faith, and that genuine repentance leads to healing and restoration.
In the Gospel, Jesus continues this theme by denouncing the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. He criticizes their tendency to burden others with strict rules while failing to live by those same standards. They seek praise and recognition for their outward piety, but their hearts are far from God. Jesus teaches that true greatness is not about seeking power or prestige but about serving others with humility. He reminds us that we have only one Master, one Father, and one Teacher—God himself. This means that no one on earth should be exalted above others, and that leadership is about serving, not being served.
Together, these readings challenge us to examine our own lives and motivations. Are we living with integrity, or are we more concerned with appearances? Do we use our faith to uplift others, or do we use it to elevate ourselves? The moral lesson is clear: true faith is not about what others see but about how we live in accordance with God’s will. Let us strive to be people of authenticity, compassion, and humility, remembering that our actions speak louder than our words. May we learn to “do good” and to seek justice, that we may be instruments of God’s love in the world.