Daily Readings - Tue Aug 20 2024
Ezekiel
1The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying,2Son of man, say unto the prince of Tyrus, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thine heart is lifted up, and thou hast said, I am a God, I sit in the seat of God, in the midst of the seas; yet thou art a man, and not God, though thou set thine heart as the heart of God:3Behold, thou art wiser than Daniel; there is no secret that they can hide from thee:4With thy wisdom and with thine understanding thou hast gotten thee riches, and hast gotten gold and silver into thy treasures:5By thy great wisdom and by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches, and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches:6Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast set thine heart as the heart of God;7Behold, therefore I will bring strangers upon thee, the terrible of the nations: and they shall draw their swords against the beauty of thy wisdom, and they shall defile thy brightness.8They shall bring thee down to the pit, and thou shalt die the deaths of them that are slain in the midst of the seas.9Wilt thou yet say before him that slayeth thee, I am God? but thou shalt be a man, and no God, in the hand of him that slayeth thee.10Thou shalt die the deaths of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers: for I have spoken it, saith the Lord GOD.
Matthew
23Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven.24And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.25When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved?26But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.27Then answered Peter and said unto him, Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?28And Jesus said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That ye which have followed me, in the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.29And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life.30But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful lessons about pride, humility, and the ultimate trust in God’s providence. The first reading from Ezekiel speaks of the king of Tyre, who, seduced by his own power and wisdom, claims to be like God. His downfall is inevitable, for God will not tolerate such arrogance. This passage reminds us that pride goes before destruction, and our hearts must always remain humble before the Lord.
In the Gospel, Jesus challenges his disciples with a hard truth: wealth and earthly possessions can be a significant obstacle to entering the kingdom of heaven. It is not that wealth itself is evil, but rather the attachment to it and the false sense of security it can create. Jesus emphasizes that salvation is not about what we have, but about trusting in God’s power and living with detachment. Peter, reflecting on the sacrifices he and the other disciples have made, asks about their reward. Jesus assures them that those who follow him with generosity and humility will receive a hundredfold in this life and eternal life in the next.
These readings call us to examine our own hearts and lives. Do we, like the king of Tyre, allow pride to cloud our vision of God’s sovereignty? Or do we, like the disciples, seek to follow Jesus with humility and trust? Let us remember that true greatness in God’s eyes is found in humility, detachment, and a willingness to surrender all for the sake of the kingdom. May we strive to live in such a way that our hearts remain open to God’s will, and may we always trust in His promise that with Him, all things are possible.