Daily Readings - Thu Mar 03 2022
Deuteronomy
15See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil;16In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgments, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it.17But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them;18I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it.19I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:20That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
Luke
22Saying, The Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third day.23And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.24For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.25For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are presented with a profound choice: between life and death, between self-interest and self-denial. In Deuteronomy, Moses lays before the Israelites the consequences of their decisions, urging them to choose life by following God’s commandments. This passage is set in the context of the Israelites standing on the brink of the Promised Land, ready to inherit the land God had sworn to their ancestors. Moses reminds them that their choices have real consequences—not just for themselves, but for their children and future generations. The choice to love and obey God is not merely a moral decision but one that leads to life, blessings, and prosperity.
In the Gospel, Jesus shifts the focus from external choices to the interior disposition of the heart. He speaks of the necessity of self-denial and taking up one’s cross as the path to true life. This teaching comes in the context of His own journey toward Jerusalem, where He will suffer, die, and rise again. Jesus makes it clear that discipleship is not about comfort or gain but about surrendering one’s life for the sake of the Kingdom. The paradox He presents is striking: to save one’s life, one must lose it; to find oneself, one must give oneself away.
These readings invite us to reflect on the choices we make in our daily lives. Are we choosing life by loving God and following His ways, or are we turning away, seduced by the empty promises of the world? Jesus calls us to embrace the cross, not as a burden, but as the path to true freedom and fulfillment. In a world that often values self-preservation and comfort above all else, the Gospel challenges us to reevaluate what it means to live a meaningful life. Let us ask ourselves: am I willing to let go of my own desires and ambitions for the sake of following Christ? Am I ready to lose my life so that I might truly find it? May we, like the Israelites, choose life—life in all its fullness, life rooted in love for God and service to others.