Daily Readings - Sat Jun 06 2020
2 Timothy
1I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;2Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.3For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;4And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.5But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.6For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.7I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:8Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
Mark
38And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces,39And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts:40Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.41And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.42And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing.43And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:44For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the importance of living out our faith with authenticity and integrity. The first reading from 2 Timothy urges us to preach the Word of God with urgency and patience, even when it is difficult. St. Paul emphasizes the need to remain faithful to our mission, despite the challenges and pressures of the world around us. He warns that there will be times when people prefer false teachings over the truth, but we must remain steadfast in proclaiming the Gospel. The reading concludes with Paul’s personal testimony of perseverance, having “fought the good fight” and remained faithful until the end.
The Gospel from Mark complements this message by highlighting the contrast between outward piety and true devotion. Jesus criticizes the scribes who seek recognition and status through their religious practices, while neglecting the substance of their faith. He then points to the poor widow who, despite her poverty, gives everything she has to God. Her small coins may seem insignificant, but in God’s eyes, they are worth more than the large offerings of the wealthy because they represent total surrender and trust in God’s providence.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own relationship with God and how we live out our faith. Are we like the scribes, focusing on appearances rather than the depth of our commitment? Or are we like the widow, giving generously and trusting in God’s plan? Let us strive to live with authenticity, embracing the call to proclaim the Gospel with courage and humility. May we also learn to give freely, not just from our abundance, but from our very selves, recognizing that true faith is measured not by what we have, but by how we surrender it to God.