Daily Readings - Mon Jun 13 2022
1 Kings
1And it came to pass after these things, that Naboth the Jezreelite had a vineyard, which was in Jezreel, hard by the palace of Ahab king of Samaria.2And Ahab spake unto Naboth, saying, Give me thy vineyard, that I may have it for a garden of herbs, because it is near unto my house: and I will give thee for it a better vineyard than it; or, if it seem good to thee, I will give thee the worth of it in money.3And Naboth said to Ahab, The LORD forbid it me, that I should give the inheritance of my fathers unto thee.4And Ahab came into his house heavy and displeased because of the word which Naboth the Jezreelite had spoken to him: for he had said, I will not give thee the inheritance of my fathers. And he laid him down upon his bed, and turned away his face, and would eat no bread.5But Jezebel his wife came to him, and said unto him, Why is thy spirit so sad, that thou eatest no bread?6And he said unto her, Because I spake unto Naboth the Jezreelite, and said unto him, Give me thy vineyard for money; or else, if it please thee, I will give thee another vineyard for it: and he answered, I will not give thee my vineyard.7And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.8So she wrote letters in Ahab's name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.9And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:10And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die.11And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them.12They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people.13And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.14Then they sent to Jezebel, saying, Naboth is stoned, and is dead.15And it came to pass, when Jezebel heard that Naboth was stoned, and was dead, that Jezebel said to Ahab, Arise, take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, which he refused to give thee for money: for Naboth is not alive, but dead.16And it came to pass, when Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, that Ahab rose up to go down to the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite, to take possession of it.
Matthew
38Ye have heard that it hath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:39But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.40And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.41And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain.42Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two distinct narratives that invite us to reflect on our values and actions. The first reading from 1 Kings 21:1-16 tells the story of Ahab, who desires Naboth's vineyard. When Naboth refuses to sell, Ahab's wife, Jezebel, orchestrates Naboth's death through false accusations, allowing Ahab to seize the land. This story highlights the dangers of greed, abuse of power, and the consequences of injustice.
The Gospel reading from Matthew 5:38-42 presents a contrasting message. Jesus teaches about non-resistance to evil, encouraging his followers to turn the other cheek and be generous. This teaching challenges the traditional "eye for an eye" mentality, promoting a higher moral standard of love and forgiveness.
These readings relate by presenting two approaches to conflict and desire. The first reading illustrates the destructive path of greed and power, while the Gospel offers a transformative approach of humility and kindness. Together, they invite us to consider how we handle our desires and conflicts in daily life.
In our own lives, we face choices between pursuing our interests at the expense of others or embracing patience and generosity. The moral lesson here is the importance of choosing humility and justice over greed and power. Let us strive to live by Jesus' teachings, fostering a spirit of love and forgiveness in our interactions, thereby creating a more just and compassionate world.