Daily Readings - Sat Mar 15 2025
Deuteronomy
16"This day the LORD your God commands you to do these statutes and rules. You shall therefore be careful to do them with all your heart and with all your soul.17You have declared today that the LORD is your God, and that you will walk in his ways, and keep his statutes and his commandments and his rules, and will obey his voice.18And the LORD has declared today that you are a people for his treasured possession, as he has promised you, and that you are to keep all his commandments,19and that he will set you in praise and in fame and in honor high above all nations that he has made, and that you shall be a people holy to the LORD your God, as he promised."
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
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the profound call to live as children of God, reflecting His love and perfection in our lives. The first reading from Deuteronomy emphasizes the Israelites' commitment to follow God's commandments, highlighting their unique relationship with Him as His chosen people. This passage underscores the importance of living according to God's laws, not merely out of obligation but as a natural response to His grace and love.
The Gospel from Matthew challenges us to expand our understanding of love beyond conventional boundaries. Jesus teaches us to love not just our neighbors but also our enemies, praying for those who persecute us. This teaching is part of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus deepens the interpretation of the law, calling us to a higher standard of love that mirrors God's universal care for all people, regardless of their actions.
These readings are connected by the theme of living out our identity as God's children. While Deuteronomy focuses on the Israelites' covenant obligations, Matthew's Gospel extends this to a universal call to love. Together, they remind us that our actions should reflect God's perfection, treating everyone with love and respect. In our daily lives, this means embracing those who may be difficult, just as God embraces us all. The moral lesson is clear: through love, we become instruments of God's transformative grace, living as true reflections of His perfect love.