Daily Readings - Tue Jun 20 2023
2 Corinthians
1We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia,2for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part.3For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will,4begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints--5and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us.6Accordingly, we urged Titus that as he had started, so he should complete among you this act of grace.7But as you excel in everything--in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you--see that you excel in this act of grace also.8I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine.9For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.
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 transformative power of grace and the call to live beyond our own limitations. In the second reading from 2 Corinthians, St. Paul commends the churches of Macedonia for their extraordinary generosity. Despite their poverty and tribulations, they gave abundantly, even beyond their means, because they had given themselves first to the Lord. Their example challenges us to consider how we respond to God’s grace in our own lives. Do we allow God’s grace to overflow in acts of love and generosity, or do we hold back, limited by our own fears and calculations?
In the Gospel, Jesus takes this idea a step further by calling us to love not just those who love us, but even our enemies. This is a radical challenge, one that goes against our natural instincts. Jesus reminds us that if we only love those who love us, we are no different from the pagans. True discipleship requires us to imitate God’s universal love, which extends to all people, regardless of whether they deserve it or not. This kind of love is not about feelings but about choices—choosing to pray for those who persecute us, to do good to those who hate us, and to greet all people with kindness.
Both readings point us to the same truth: the Christian life is a life of grace and self-giving love. The Macedonians’ generosity flowed from their encounter with God’s grace, and Jesus’ command to love our enemies is only possible when we allow God’s grace to transform our hearts. As we strive to live this way, we become more like our heavenly Father, who causes the sun to shine and the rain to fall on both the just and the unjust. Let us ask for the grace to go beyond our own limits, to love as God loves, and to give as God gives—freely, abundantly, and without reserve.