Daily Readings - Fri Mar 17 2023
Hosea
1Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity.2Take with you words and return to the LORD; say to him, "Take away all iniquity; accept what is good, and we will pay with bulls the vows of our lips.3Assyria shall not save us; we will not ride on horses; and we will say no more, 'Our God,' to the work of our hands. In you the orphan finds mercy."4I will heal their apostasy; I will love them freely, for my anger has turned from them.5I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily; he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon;6his shoots shall spread out; his beauty shall be like the olive, and his fragrance like Lebanon.7They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow; they shall flourish like the grain; they shall blossom like the vine; their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.8O Ephraim, what have I to do with idols? It is I who answer and look after you. I am like an evergreen cypress; from me comes your fruit.9Whoever is wise, let him understand these things; whoever is discerning, let him know them; for the ways of the LORD are right, and the upright walk in them, but transgressors stumble in them.
Mark
28And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, "Which commandment is the most important of all?"29Jesus answered, "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.30And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'31The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these."32And the scribe said to him, "You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him.33And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one's neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."34And when Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And after that no one dared to ask him any more questions.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter a powerful call to return to God and to embrace the essence of His commandments. The prophet Hosea urges Israel to repent, turning away from idols and towards the Lord, promising healing and restoration. This passage is rich with imagery of flourishing under God's care, inviting us to reflect on our own relationship with Him.
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is asked about the greatest commandment. He responds by citing the Shema, emphasizing love for God with all our being, and adds the commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves. This exchange highlights the heart of Jesus' teachings: that love is the foundation of our faith and actions.
These readings connect through the theme of love and relationship. Hosea illustrates God's desire for a loving relationship with His people, while Mark underscores Jesus' teaching on the primacy of love. Together, they remind us to prioritize love for God and others in our daily lives. Let us reflect on how our actions and decisions align with these commandments, embracing the transformative power of love in our journey towards the kingdom of God.