Daily Readings - Tue Aug 14 2018
Ezekiel
8But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee; Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house: open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.9And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein;10And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.
1Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.2So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll.3And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.4And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them.
Matthew
1At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?2And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them,3And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.4Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.5And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.10Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.12How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?13And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.14Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.
Sermon
In today's readings, Ezekiel and Matthew present powerful messages about humility, compassion, and God's enduring love. Ezekiel is called by God to consume a scroll filled with lamentations, symbolizing his mission to deliver God's word to the Israelites. Despite the scroll's bitter content, it becomes sweet as honey, illustrating Ezekiel's acceptance of his prophetic role. This act underscores the importance of internalizing God's message and faithfully sharing it, even when challenging.
In Matthew, Jesus emphasizes humility and care for the vulnerable. Using a child as an example, He teaches that becoming like a child—humble and open—is essential to entering the kingdom of heaven. The parable of the lost sheep highlights God's joy in finding the lost, urging us to actively seek out those who have strayed. Both readings reflect God's deep concern for His people, Ezekiel focusing on delivering a message to bring people back to God, and Matthew on caring for each individual, especially the vulnerable.
Applying these teachings to our lives, we are called to embrace humility and compassion. Like Ezekiel, we should be open to God's message and share it with others, even when difficult. Like the Good Shepherd, we must seek out those who are lost, reflecting God's love and care. The moral lesson is clear: humility and compassion are vital for living as followers of Christ, guiding us to care for others and remain faithful to God's will.