Daily Readings - Thu Sep 21 2023
Ephesians
1I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,2With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;3Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;5One Lord, one faith, one baptism,6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.7But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Matthew
9And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.10And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples.11And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?12But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.13But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Sermon
Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the call to live as one body in Christ and to embrace God’s mercy in our lives. In the first reading from Ephesians, St. Paul urges us to live in a way worthy of our Christian vocation, with humility, patience, and love. He reminds us that we are all part of the same body, united by one Lord, one faith, and one baptism. Each of us has been given unique gifts to build up the body of Christ and to grow in unity and knowledge of the Son of God. This passage emphasizes the importance of living in harmony and recognizing the diverse roles we play in the life of the Church.
In the Gospel, Matthew’s call to follow Jesus and the subsequent dinner with tax collectors and sinners challenge us to think about who we include in our circle of relationships. The Pharisees criticized Jesus for dining with those considered unworthy, but Jesus responded by quoting the prophet Hosea: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” This encounter reminds us that the heart of God’s law is not about external rituals but about showing compassion and love to those who are marginalized. Jesus came not to call the righteous but sinners, and this truth should inspire us to reach out to others with the same mercy and love that God has shown us.
These readings are deeply connected. Both emphasize the unity of God’s people and the call to live with humility and compassion. In Ephesians, we are reminded of our shared identity as members of Christ’s body, while in Matthew, we see how Jesus modeled this unity by breaking down social barriers. As we reflect on these passages, let us ask ourselves: How am I contributing to the unity of the body of Christ? Am I willing to step out of my comfort zone to show mercy to those who may feel excluded or unworthy? May we strive to live with the humility and love that Jesus exemplified, recognizing that we are all in need of God’s healing grace. Let us go forth, then, and learn what it means to desire mercy, even as we seek to be instruments of that mercy in the lives of others.