Daily Readings - Sat Feb 17 2024
Isaiah
9Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;10And if thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noonday:11And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.12And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations; and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer of paths to dwell in.13If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the LORD, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:14Then shalt thou delight thyself in the LORD; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.
Luke
27And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.28And he left all, rose up, and followed him.29And Levi made him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of publicans and of others that sat down with them.30But their scribes and Pharisees murmured against his disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with publicans and sinners?31And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick.32I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the profound call to live out our faith through compassionate action and humility. The passage from Isaiah challenges us to move beyond superficial religious practices and instead embrace a life of justice and mercy. True fasting, Isaiah tells us, is not just about abstaining from food but about loosening the chains of oppression, feeding the hungry, and caring for the afflicted. This prophet’s words are a stark reminder that our relationship with God is deeply tied to how we treat others, especially those on the margins.
The Gospel reading from Luke complements this message as Jesus reaches out to Levi, a tax collector, and dines with sinners. The Pharisees and scribes are scandalized by this, but Jesus responds by emphasizing that he has come not for the righteous but for sinners. This encounter highlights Jesus’ mission to bring healing and reconciliation to those who feel excluded or unworthy. Like Levi, we are all called to follow Jesus, leaving behind our old ways and embracing a life of transformation and service.
These readings invite us to reflect on how we live out our faith in daily life. Are we more like the Pharisees, focused on appearances and judgment, or are we willing to follow Jesus’ example by reaching out to those who feel excluded? Let us ask ourselves: How can we loosen the chains of oppression in our own lives and communities? How can we feed the hungry, both physically and spiritually? By answering these questions with compassion and humility, we can find true delight in the Lord and live as instruments of his healing and reconciliation in the world.