Daily Readings - Thu Mar 27 2025
Jeremiah
23But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.24But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.25Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them:26Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.27Therefore thou shalt speak all these words unto them; but they will not hearken to thee: thou shalt also call unto them; but they will not answer thee.28But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the LORD their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.
Luke
14And he was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered.15But some of them said, He casteth out devils through Beelzebub the chief of the devils.16And others, tempting him, sought of him a sign from heaven.17But he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.18If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub.19And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.20But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.21When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:22But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.23He that is not with me is against me: and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound reflections on the human condition and our relationship with God. The first reading from Jeremiah paints a picture of a people who have turned away from God’s commandments, choosing instead to follow their own desires. Despite God’s repeated calls to return, they stiffen their necks and refuse to listen. This passage serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of disobedience and the importance of heeding God’s voice in our lives.
In the Gospel, Jesus confronts a different kind of resistance. After healing a mute man possessed by a demon, some onlookers accuse Him of casting out demons by the power of Beelzebub, the prince of demons. Jesus responds by pointing out the absurdity of this claim, noting that a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. He then challenges His listeners to recognize the true source of His power—the finger of God—and warns them that failure to align themselves with God’s will is to oppose it.
Both readings invite us to reflect on our own willingness to listen to God and to discern the source of true power in our lives. Like the Israelites in Jeremiah’s time, we often find ourselves tempted to follow our own desires rather than God’s will. And like the crowd in Luke’s Gospel, we may doubt the authenticity of God’s work in our midst. Yet, Jesus reminds us that the kingdom of God is not about division or opposition but about unity and alignment with His will.
As we apply these readings to our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Am I truly listening to God’s voice, or am I allowing my own desires to lead me astray? Am I open to the ways in which God is working in my life and in the world around me? The moral lesson here is clear: To be with God is to be aligned with His will, and to reject His will is to scatter and divide. May we strive to be people who listen, who discern, and who actively seek to gather with Christ, rather than scatter.