Daily Readings - Sat Aug 05 2023
Leviticus
1And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying,8And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years.9Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.10And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.11A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed.12For it is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field.13In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession.14And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one another:15According to the number of years after the jubile thou shalt buy of thy neighbour, and according unto the number of years of the fruits he shall sell unto thee:16According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it: for according to the number of the years of the fruits doth he sell unto thee.17Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the LORD your God.
Matthew
1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,2And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.3For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.4For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.5And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.6But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.7Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.8And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.9And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.10And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.11And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.12And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on justice, integrity, and trust in God's providence. The first reading from Leviticus describes the Jubilee year, a time of liberation and restoration. Every 50 years, debts were forgiven, land was returned to its original owners, and society was renewed. This practice was rooted in the belief that all creation belongs to God, and it served as a reminder to trust in God’s provision rather than human wealth and power. The Jubilee was a call to live in harmony with God’s will, ensuring that no one was perpetually oppressed or marginalized.
The Gospel reading presents a stark contrast with the story of John the Baptist’s martyrdom. Herod, driven by fear and pride, silenced John for speaking the truth about his unlawful marriage. This tragic event highlights the consequences of sin and the misuse of power. John’s unwavering commitment to justice, even in the face of death, stands as a testament to the importance of integrity and standing up for what is right, even when it is difficult.
These readings remind us that living a life of faith requires both justice and integrity. Like the Jubilee, we are called to create a world where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, free from oppression. Like John the Baptist, we must be willing to stand up for truth, even when it challenges those in power. In our daily lives, this means advocating for fairness, protecting the vulnerable, and trusting in God’s plan, even when the path ahead seems uncertain. Let us strive to live with the courage of John and the compassion of the Jubilee, trusting that God will guide us in building a more just and loving world.