Daily Readings - Fri Mar 28 2025
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the essence of our relationship with God and with one another. In the first reading from Hosea, we hear a heartfelt call to repentance and a promise of restoration. Hosea urges Israel to turn back to the Lord, acknowledging the ruin caused by their own sin. The prophet paints a vivid picture of God's mercy, using natural imagery like dew and lilies, to assure the people of healing and new life if they return to Him. This passage reminds us that God's love is always ready to forgive and renew us, no matter how far we may have strayed.
In the Gospel, Jesus engages with a scribe who asks about the greatest commandment. Jesus responds by quoting the Shema from Deuteronomy, emphasizing that the first and foremost commandment is to love God with our whole being—heart, soul, mind, and strength. He then adds the second commandment, to love our neighbor as ourselves, stating that there is no commandment greater than these. The scribe agrees, acknowledging the truth of Jesus' words, and Jesus commends him, saying he is not far from the kingdom of God. This exchange highlights the centrality of love in living out our faith.
These readings are deeply connected, as both emphasize the transformative power of love. Hosea shows us God's merciful love, which invites us to return and be healed, while the Gospel reminds us that our love for God and neighbor is the foundation of a life lived in accordance with His will. In our daily lives, we are called to embody this love—loving God with all that we are and expressing that love through our actions toward others. Let us reflect on how we can prioritize love in our decisions and relationships, trusting that it will lead us closer to God and to the fullness of life He promises.