Daily Readings - Sat Aug 02 2025
Leviticus
1And the LORD spake unto Moses in mount Sinai, saying,8And thou shalt number seven sabbaths of years unto thee, seven times seven years; and the space of the seven sabbaths of years shall be unto thee forty and nine years.9Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth day of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land.10And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof: it shall be a jubile unto you; and ye shall return every man unto his possession, and ye shall return every man unto his family.11A jubile shall that fiftieth year be unto you: ye shall not sow, neither reap that which groweth of itself in it, nor gather the grapes in it of thy vine undressed.12For it is the jubile; it shall be holy unto you: ye shall eat the increase thereof out of the field.13In the year of this jubile ye shall return every man unto his possession.14And if thou sell ought unto thy neighbour, or buyest ought of thy neighbour's hand, ye shall not oppress one another:15According to the number of years after the jubile thou shalt buy of thy neighbour, and according unto the number of years of the fruits he shall sell unto thee:16According to the multitude of years thou shalt increase the price thereof, and according to the fewness of years thou shalt diminish the price of it: for according to the number of the years of the fruits doth he sell unto thee.17Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the LORD your God.
Matthew
1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard of the fame of Jesus,2And said unto his servants, This is John the Baptist; he is risen from the dead; and therefore mighty works do shew forth themselves in him.3For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife.4For John said unto him, It is not lawful for thee to have her.5And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet.6But when Herod's birthday was kept, the daughter of Herodias danced before them, and pleased Herod.7Whereupon he promised with an oath to give her whatsoever she would ask.8And she, being before instructed of her mother, said, Give me here John Baptist's head in a charger.9And the king was sorry: nevertheless for the oath's sake, and them which sat with him at meat, he commanded it to be given her.10And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.11And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.12And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two distinct yet interconnected themes: the call to justice and the consequences of sin. The first reading from Leviticus presents the Jubilee year, a time of restoration and equality, where debts are forgiven, and land is returned to its rightful owners. This practice, rooted in God’s command, emphasizes compassion and fairness, reminding the Israelites of their covenant with God and their responsibility to uphold justice in society.
In contrast, the Gospel reading from Matthew reveals a stark failure of justice. Herod, driven by fear and pride, has John the Baptist executed to save face and satisfy his own desires. This tragic event highlights the consequences of allowing sin and self-interest to guide our actions, rather than living according to God’s will. John’s martyrdom serves as a powerful reminder of the cost of speaking truth to power and the enduring struggle between good and evil.
These readings invite us to reflect on how we live out justice and integrity in our own lives. The Jubilee year challenges us to consider how we treat others, especially those in need, and to strive for fairness in all our dealings. Meanwhile, the story of John the Baptist calls us to stand firm in our faith and to be willing to confront injustice, even in the face of adversity. May we embrace the mercy and justice of God, allowing them to guide our actions and decisions each day.