Daily Readings - Mon Feb 27 2023
Leviticus
1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,2Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the LORD your God am holy.11Ye shall not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one to another.12And ye shall not swear by my name falsely, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.13Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.14Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the LORD.15Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.16Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.17Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.18Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.
Matthew
31When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:32And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:33And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Sermon
The readings today remind us of the profound connection between holiness and compassion. In the first reading from Leviticus, God calls the Israelites to live as His holy people by avoiding sin and injustice. He commands them not to steal, lie, or oppress others, emphasizing the importance of treating neighbors with justice and respect. This passage is part of the Holiness Code, a set of laws that guide the Israelites in living as a people set apart for God. The heart of these laws is not just ritual purity but a way of life that reflects God’s character—holy, just, and merciful.
In the Gospel, Jesus paints a vivid picture of the Final Judgment, where nations are separated like sheep and goats. The criterion for judgment is not religious observance or knowledge but how people treated the most vulnerable: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned. Those who served the least among them served Jesus Himself, while those who ignored them rejected Jesus. This passage is part of Jesus’ Olivet Discourse, where He emphasizes that true faith is demonstrated in actions of love and compassion. The surprising twist is that many will be unaware that their care for the marginalized was care for Christ.
These readings together call us to reflect on how we live out our faith. Holiness is not just about avoiding sin; it is about actively loving and serving others, especially those in need. In our daily lives, we are invited to see Christ in the faces of those around us—perhaps in a neighbor who feels lonely, a coworker who is struggling, or someone in our community who is overlooked. The moral lesson is clear: our faith is measured by our love and compassion. Let us ask ourselves today: How can I serve Christ in the people I encounter? How can I live in a way that reflects God’s holiness and mercy? May we strive to be holy by loving and serving others, for in doing so, we love and serve the Lord Himself.