Daily Readings - Mon Feb 19 2018
First Reading - Leviticus 19.1-2, 11-18
Leviticus
And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
Gospel - Matthew 25.31-46
Matthew
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on how we live out our faith in everyday life. In the first reading from Leviticus, we are reminded of the call to holiness and the practical ways this is expressed: not stealing, lying, or oppressing others, but instead treating all people justly and with compassion. This passage emphasizes that holiness is not just a spiritual state but is lived out in concrete actions toward others. In the Gospel, Jesus paints a vivid picture of the final judgment, where the criterion for eternal life is how we have treated the most vulnerable among us—the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned. Those who served these "least ones" are welcomed into eternal life, while those who ignored them are separated from God.
Both readings are connected by the theme of living out our faith through love and justice. Leviticus provides the moral foundation for how we should treat others, while Matthew’s Gospel reveals the ultimate consequences of living according to that foundation. Jesus makes it clear that our relationship with God is inseparable from our relationship with others, especially those in need. The way we treat the poor, the stranger, and the marginalized is the way we treat Christ himself. This connection challenges us to see God in every person we encounter and to act with the same love and mercy that God has shown us.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How do I treat those around me? Do I see Christ in the faces of those who are suffering or overlooked? The moral lesson here is clear: our faith is not just about words or beliefs but about the concrete actions we take to love and serve others. May we strive to live with compassion, integrity, and justice, knowing that our actions have eternal significance. Let us remember that holiness is not an abstract ideal but a way of life that flows from a deep love for God and for our neighbor.