Daily Readings - Fri Mar 28 2025
Hosea
1O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity.2Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips.3Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy.4I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.5I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.6His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.7They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.8Ephraim shall say, What have I to do any more with idols? I have heard him, and observed him: I am like a green fir tree. From me is thy fruit found.9Who is wise, and he shall understand these things? prudent, and he shall know them? for the ways of the LORD are right, and the just shall walk in them: but the transgressors shall fall therein.
Mark
28And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?29And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:30And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.31And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.32And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he:33And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.34And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the essence of our relationship with God and with one another. In the first reading from Hosea, we hear a heartfelt call to repentance and a promise of restoration. Hosea urges Israel to turn back to the Lord, acknowledging the ruin caused by their own sin. The prophet paints a vivid picture of God's mercy, using natural imagery like dew and lilies, to assure the people of healing and new life if they return to Him. This passage reminds us that God's love is always ready to forgive and renew us, no matter how far we may have strayed.
In the Gospel, Jesus engages with a scribe who asks about the greatest commandment. Jesus responds by quoting the Shema from Deuteronomy, emphasizing that the first and foremost commandment is to love God with our whole being—heart, soul, mind, and strength. He then adds the second commandment, to love our neighbor as ourselves, stating that there is no commandment greater than these. The scribe agrees, acknowledging the truth of Jesus' words, and Jesus commends him, saying he is not far from the kingdom of God. This exchange highlights the centrality of love in living out our faith.
These readings are deeply connected, as both emphasize the transformative power of love. Hosea shows us God's merciful love, which invites us to return and be healed, while the Gospel reminds us that our love for God and neighbor is the foundation of a life lived in accordance with His will. In our daily lives, we are called to embody this love—loving God with all that we are and expressing that love through our actions toward others. Let us reflect on how we can prioritize love in our decisions and relationships, trusting that it will lead us closer to God and to the fullness of life He promises.