Daily Readings - Mon Mar 18 2019
Daniel
3And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:4And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;5We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:6Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.7O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.8O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.9To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;10Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
Luke
36Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.37Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:38Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of mercy, repentance, and the call to live as disciples of God. In the first reading from Daniel, we hear a heartfelt prayer of confession and supplication. Daniel acknowledges the sins of his people, humbly admitting their failure to follow God’s commandments. He pleads for mercy, recognizing that justice belongs to God while shame and confusion belong to those who have turned away. This passage reminds us of the importance of humility and the need to acknowledge our own shortcomings before God. It is a call to repentance, urging us to turn back to the Lord with sincerity and trust in His mercy.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the necessity of living out God’s mercy in our relationships with others. He instructs us not to judge or condemn but instead to forgive and give generously. The measure we use to measure others, He warns, will be the same measure used for us. This teaching challenges us to reflect on how we treat one another. Are we quick to forgive, or do we hold grudges? Do we show compassion to those in need, or do we turn away? Jesus is clear: our actions toward others are a reflection of our relationship with God. If we seek to be merciful as our Father is merciful, we must act with kindness, understanding, and generosity.
Together, these readings remind us that our faith is not just about what we believe but also about how we live. Daniel’s prayer shows us the importance of humility and repentance, while Jesus’ teaching calls us to extend God’s mercy to others. In our daily lives, let us strive to be people of compassion and forgiveness. May we turn to God with sincere hearts, acknowledging our sins and seeking His mercy. And may we, in turn, be instruments of that mercy in the lives of those around us.