Daily Readings - Mon Jul 29 2024
Jeremiah
1Thus says the LORD to me, "Go and buy a linen loincloth and put it around your waist, and do not dip it in water."2So I bought a loincloth according to the word of the LORD, and put it around my waist.3And the word of the LORD came to me a second time,4"Take the loincloth that you have bought, which is around your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates and hide it there in a cleft of the rock."5So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.6And after many days the LORD said to me, "Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take from there the loincloth that I commanded you to hide there."7Then I went to the Euphrates, and dug, and I took the loincloth from the place where I had hidden it. And behold, the loincloth was spoiled; it was good for nothing.8Then the word of the LORD came to me:9"Thus says the LORD: Even so will I spoil the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem.10This evil people, who refuse to hear my words, who stubbornly follow their own heart and have gone after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be like this loincloth, which is good for nothing.11For as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the LORD, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen.
Gospel - John 11.17-27 or Luke 10.38-42
John
17Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days.18Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off,19and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.20So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house.21Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.22But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you."23Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again."24Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day."25Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,26and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?"27She said to him, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world."
Luke
38Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.39And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.40But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me."41But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,42but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful messages that invite us to reflect on faith, hope, and the consequences of our choices. The first reading from Jeremiah presents a vivid metaphor: a waistcloth that rots away, symbolizing the spiritual decay of Judah and Jerusalem. This once symbol of closeness to God becomes worthless, much like our lives when we turn away from Him. The context is one of warning, urging us to recognize the futility of life without God.
In contrast, the Gospel offers a message of hope. Jesus, in His conversation with Martha, reveals Himself as the Resurrection and the Life. Martha's faith, though tinged with doubt, is met with Jesus' assurance of eternal life for believers. This exchange emphasizes that while sin leads to decay, faith in Jesus brings life. The two readings thus form a bridge: Jeremiah warns of the consequences of spiritual decay, while John points to the hope found in Jesus.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to examine our relationship with God. Like the waistcloth, our lives can become empty without Him. Yet, through faith in Jesus, we find purpose and eternal life. Let us nurture our faith, trusting in God's promise, even in times of doubt or hardship. For in Him, we find the source of all life and hope.