Daily Readings - Fri Aug 18 2017
First Reading - Joshua 24.1-13
Joshua
1And Joshua gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem, and called for the elders of Israel, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers; and they presented themselves before God.2And Joshua said unto all the people, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old time, even Terah, the father of Abraham, and the father of Nachor: and they served other gods.3And I took your father Abraham from the other side of the flood, and led him throughout all the land of Canaan, and multiplied his seed, and gave him Isaac.4And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.5I sent Moses also and Aaron, and I plagued Egypt, according to that which I did among them: and afterward I brought you out.6And I brought your fathers out of Egypt: and ye came unto the sea; and the Egyptians pursued after your fathers with chariots and horsemen unto the Red sea.7And when they cried unto the LORD, he put darkness between you and the Egyptians, and brought the sea upon them, and covered them; and your eyes have seen what I have done in Egypt: and ye dwelt in the wilderness a long season.8And I brought you into the land of the Amorites, which dwelt on the other side Jordan; and they fought with you: and I gave them into your hand, that ye might possess their land; and I destroyed them from before you.9Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you:10But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand.11And ye went over Jordan, and came unto Jericho: and the men of Jericho fought against you, the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Girgashites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; and I delivered them into your hand.12And I sent the hornet before you, which drave them out from before you, even the two kings of the Amorites; but not with thy sword, nor with thy bow.13And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat.
Gospel - Matthew 19.3-12
Matthew
3The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?4And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,5And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?6Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.7They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?8He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.9And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.10His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.11But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.12For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are reminded of the profound importance of covenant and commitment, both with God and with one another. The first reading from Joshua recounts the history of God's people, highlighting God's faithfulness and the covenant made with Israel. Joshua gathers the tribes at Shechem to renew this covenant, urging them to choose whom they will serve. This passage underscores God's unwavering commitment to His people, guiding them through trials and leading them to the Promised Land.
In the Gospel, Jesus addresses the Pharisees on the issue of divorce, emphasizing the sacred bond of marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman. Quoting Genesis, Jesus points to the original design of marriage as a union of two becoming one flesh, a bond that should not be broken by man. He acknowledges the hardness of human hearts but calls for a return to the original intent of marriage, highlighting the seriousness of such commitments.
These readings invite us to reflect on the nature of commitment in our own lives. Just as God is faithful to His covenant with Israel, we are called to be faithful in our relationships, whether with God or with others. Marriage, as a sacred covenant, mirrors God's fidelity and love. As we navigate our daily lives, let us approach our commitments with the same seriousness and love that God demonstrates. May we trust in God's faithfulness and strive to reflect that faithfulness in our own relationships, recognizing the sacredness of the bonds we form.