Daily Readings - Sat Aug 03 2019
Leviticus
1And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying,8And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years.9Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.10And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.11A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed.12For it is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field.13In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession.14And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one another:15According to the number of years after the jubile thou shalt buy of thy neighbour, and according unto the number of years of the fruits he shall sell unto thee:16According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it: for according to the number of the years of the fruits doth he sell unto thee.17Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the LORD your God.
Matthew
1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,2And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.3For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.4For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.5And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.6But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.7Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.8And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.9And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.10And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.11And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.12And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on justice, morality, and the consequences of our actions. In Leviticus, we hear about the Jubilee year, a time of restoration and equality, where debts are forgiven and land is returned to its rightful owners. This practice, rooted in God’s command, emphasizes fairness and compassion, reminding us that true justice is not just about punishment but about restoration and new beginnings. It challenges us to consider how we can promote equity and mercy in our own lives and society.
In the Gospel, we encounter a very different scenario. Herod, trapped by his desires and fears, orders the beheading of John the Baptist. This tragic event highlights the consequences of sin and the importance of standing up for what is right, even in the face of adversity. John’s courage to speak truth to power, even at great personal cost, serves as a powerful example of fidelity to God’s will. Herod’s actions, on the other hand, reveal the destructive power of pride and the fear of losing control.
Together, these readings call us to live lives grounded in God’s justice and mercy. The Jubilee reminds us of the importance of fairness and compassion, while John the Baptist’s martyrdom challenges us to remain faithful and courageous in the face of moral compromise. As we go about our daily lives, let us strive to create a world where justice and mercy reign, and let us have the courage to stand up for what is right, even when it is difficult. May we, like John, be bold in proclaiming God’s truth, and may we, like the Jubilee, bring restoration and hope to those around us.