Daily Readings - Mon Jul 30 2018
Jeremiah
1Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.2So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins.3And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying,4Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.5So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.6And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.7Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.8Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,9Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.10This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.11For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
Matthew
31Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:32Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.33Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.34All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:35That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful images from Scripture that invite us to reflect on God’s work in our lives and in the world. The first reading from Jeremiah describes a prophetic action where God instructs Jeremiah to bury a linen waistcloth by the Euphrates River. When he returns later, the cloth has rotted and is useless. This symbolizes the corruption and stubbornness of God’s people, who have turned away from His words and embraced false idols. Jeremiah’s message is one of warning: just as the waistcloth clings to the body but becomes worthless, so too can our relationship with God become meaningless if we do not listen to His voice and remain faithful.
In the Gospel, Jesus offers two parables about the kingdom of heaven: the mustard seed and the leaven. These images remind us that God’s work often begins small and unnoticed but grows to have a profound impact. The mustard seed, though tiny, becomes a tree that shelters birds, and the leaven transforms an entire batch of dough. These parables encourage us to trust in God’s power to transform even the smallest and seemingly insignificant aspects of our lives. While Jeremiah’s reading speaks of judgment, Jesus’ parables speak of hope and the transformative power of God’s kingdom.
Together, these readings challenge us to reflect on our spiritual state. Are we like the rotting waistcloth, clinging to sin and stubbornness, or are we allowing God’s kingdom to grow within us? Let us ask ourselves: Where are the small, hidden places in my life where God might be at work? How can I cooperate with His grace to let His kingdom grow? May we embrace the hope of transformation and the call to live as faithful disciples, trusting that even in darkness, God’s light can shine through.