Daily Readings - Tue Aug 22 2017
First Reading - Judges 6.11-24a
Judges
And there came an angel of the LORD, and sat under an oak which was in Ophrah, that pertained unto Joash the Abiezrite: and his son Gideon threshed wheat by the winepress, to hide it from the Midianites.And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him, and said unto him, The LORD is with thee, thou mighty man of valour.And Gideon said unto him, Oh my Lord, if the LORD be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt? but now the LORD hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.And the LORD looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house.And the LORD said unto him, Surely I will be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man.And he said unto him, If now I have found grace in thy sight, then shew me a sign that thou talkest with me.Depart not hence, I pray thee, until I come unto thee, and bring forth my present, and set it before thee. And he said, I will tarry until thou come again.And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out unto him under the oak, and presented it.And the angel of God said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this rock, and pour out the broth. And he did so.Then the angel of the LORD put forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened cakes. Then the angel of the LORD departed out of his sight.And when Gideon perceived that he was an angel of the LORD, Gideon said, Alas, O Lord GOD! for because I have seen an angel of the LORD face to face.And the LORD said unto him, Peace be unto thee; fear not: thou shalt not die.Then Gideon built an altar there unto the LORD, and called it Jehovahshalom: unto this day it is yet in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.
Gospel - Matthew 19.23-30
Matthew
Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound lessons on faith and trust in God. The first reading from Judges introduces us to Gideon, an unlikely hero who is called by God to lead Israel against the Midianites. Despite his feelings of inadequacy and doubt, Gideon is reassured by the angel's presence and a miraculous sign, which strengthens his faith. This story reminds us that God often chooses the humble and the weak to accomplish great things, teaching us to trust in His plan even when we feel insignificant.
The Gospel reading from Matthew challenges our understanding of wealth and the kingdom of heaven. Jesus uses the striking image of a camel passing through a needle's eye to illustrate the difficulty of the wealthy entering heaven. This teaching shocks the disciples, as wealth was often seen as a blessing. However, Jesus emphasizes that while this may be impossible for humans, it is possible with God. He then reassures the disciples that their sacrifices will be rewarded, but also warns that worldly status does not guarantee heavenly reward. This teaches us to reevaluate our priorities, focusing on spiritual wealth and trust in God's providence.
Both readings call us to reflect on our trust in God and our priorities. Like Gideon, we may face challenges that make us doubt our abilities, but God's presence and promises can give us the courage to move forward. Similarly, Jesus' teaching on wealth reminds us to not be bound by material possessions, but to seek eternal rewards. Let us strive to trust in God's plan and prioritize spiritual wealth, knowing that He can make the impossible possible.