Daily Readings - Tue Jun 14 2022
1 Kings
17And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,18Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.19And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the LORD, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.20And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.21Behold, I will bring evil upon thee, and will take away thy posterity, and will cut off from Ahab him that pisseth against the wall, and him that is shut up and left in Israel,22And will make thine house like the house of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the son of Ahijah, for the provocation wherewith thou hast provoked me to anger, and made Israel to sin.23And of Jezebel also spake the LORD, saying, The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel.24Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.25But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.26And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.27And it came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, that he rent his clothes, and put sackcloth upon his flesh, and fasted, and lay in sackcloth, and went softly.28And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying,29Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before me? because he humbleth himself before me, I will not bring the evil in his days: but in his son's days will I bring the evil upon his house.
Matthew
43Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and hate thine enemy.44But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;45That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.46For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?47And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?48Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of justice, mercy, and the call to live a life of love and compassion. In the first reading from 1 Kings, we encounter the story of Ahab, the king of Israel, who, under the influence of his wife Jezebel, seized the vineyard of Naboth and had him killed. Elijah, the prophet, confronts Ahab with a stern warning of divine judgment, but Ahab’s humble repentance delays the punishment. This story highlights the consequences of sin and the possibility of mercy when we turn back to God. In the Gospel, Jesus challenges us to go beyond the law of loving our neighbors and hating our enemies. He calls us to love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, and strive for perfection as our heavenly Father is perfect. This teaching elevates the moral standard, urging us to imitate God’s universal love, which extends even to those who do not deserve it.
The connection between the two readings lies in the interplay between justice and mercy. In the Old Testament, justice is often tied to punishment for wrongdoing, yet Ahab’s repentance shows that God’s mercy can temper judgment. In the New Testament, Jesus takes this further by emphasizing that love and mercy should characterize our relationship with others, even those who wrong us. Together, these readings remind us that while sin has consequences, repentance and love can transform situations and relationships.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to examine how we treat others, especially those we may consider enemies or who have wronged us. Jesus’ call to love our enemies is not about feelings but about actions—doing good, praying, and blessing those who persecute us. This is difficult, but it is the path to true holiness and the perfection that God calls us to. The story of Ahab reminds us that no one is beyond the reach of God’s mercy, and our humble repentance can change the course of our lives. Let us strive to live out these teachings, trusting in God’s grace to help us love as He loves.