Daily Readings - Sat Mar 09 2019
Isaiah
9Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;10And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:11And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.12And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.13If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:14Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Luke
27And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.28And he left all, rose up, and followed him.29And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.30But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?31And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.32I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of true faith and how it should shape our actions and relationships. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a call to live out our faith through acts of justice and compassion. The prophet condemns empty religious practices, such as fasting, when they are not accompanied by care for the marginalized. He emphasizes that true fasting involves loosening the chains of oppression, feeding the hungry, and satisfying the afflicted. Isaiah also reminds us of the importance of observing the Sabbath as a day of rest and glorifying God, not as a day to pursue our own desires. This passage challenges us to examine whether our faith is merely a set of rituals or if it transforms how we live and interact with others.
In the Gospel, Luke presents us with a scene that illustrates Jesus’ mission to reach out to those on the fringes of society. Jesus calls Levi, a tax collector, who was considered a sinner by the Pharisees. Instead of shunning Levi, Jesus shares a meal with him and other tax collectors and sinners. When criticized by the Pharisees and scribes, Jesus responds by saying that he has come not for the righteous but for sinners. This encounter reminds us that faith is not about isolating ourselves from those who are imperfect but about embracing them with love and compassion. Jesus’ actions show that true faith is about healing and restoring relationships, not about judging or excluding others.
These readings call us to reflect on how we live out our faith in our daily lives. Are we like the Pharisees, focusing on outward appearances and rules, or are we like Jesus, reaching out to those who need healing and love? Isaiah reminds us that our faith must be expressed in concrete actions that uplift the downtrodden and honor God. Let us ask ourselves: Do we use our resources to feed the hungry and care for the afflicted? Do we observe the Sabbath as a day to glorify God and find rest? And do we, like Jesus, embrace those who feel excluded or marginalized? May these readings inspire us to live out our faith with authenticity, compassion, and a commitment to justice.