Daily Readings - Fri Aug 18 2017
Joshua
1Then Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Shechem. He summoned the elders, leaders, judges and officials of Israel, and they presented themselves before God.2Joshua said to all the people, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Long ago your forefathers, including Terah the father of Abraham and Nahor, lived beyond the River and worshiped other gods.3But I took your father Abraham from the land beyond the River and led him throughout Canaan and gave him many descendants. I gave him Isaac,4and to Isaac I gave Jacob and Esau. I assigned the hill country of Seir to Esau, but Jacob and his sons went down to Egypt.5"'Then I sent Moses and Aaron, and I afflicted the Egyptians by what I did there, and I brought you out.6When I brought your fathers out of Egypt, you came to the sea, and the Egyptians pursued them with chariots and horsemen as far as the Red Sea.7But they cried to the LORD for help, and he put darkness between you and the Egyptians; he brought the sea over them and covered them. You saw with your own eyes what I did to the Egyptians. Then you lived in the desert for a long time.8"'I brought you to the land of the Amorites who lived east of the Jordan. They fought against you, but I gave them into your hands. I destroyed them from before you, and you took possession of their land.9When Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beor to put a curse on you.10But I would not listen to Balaam, so he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you out of his hand.11"'Then you crossed the Jordan and came to Jericho. The citizens of Jericho fought against you, as did also the Amorites, Perizzites, Canaanites, Hittites, Girgashites, Hivites and Jebusites, but I gave them into your hands.12I sent the hornet ahead of you, which drove them out before you-also the two Amorite kings. You did not do it with your own sword and bow.13So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant.'
Matthew
3Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?"4"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,'5and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'?6So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."7"Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?"8Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.9I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery."10The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry."11Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given.12For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."
Sermon
In today's readings, we are reminded of the profound importance of covenant and commitment, both with God and with one another. The first reading from Joshua recounts the history of God's people, highlighting God's faithfulness and the covenant made with Israel. Joshua gathers the tribes at Shechem to renew this covenant, urging them to choose whom they will serve. This passage underscores God's unwavering commitment to His people, guiding them through trials and leading them to the Promised Land.
In the Gospel, Jesus addresses the Pharisees on the issue of divorce, emphasizing the sacred bond of marriage as a covenant between a man and a woman. Quoting Genesis, Jesus points to the original design of marriage as a union of two becoming one flesh, a bond that should not be broken by man. He acknowledges the hardness of human hearts but calls for a return to the original intent of marriage, highlighting the seriousness of such commitments.
These readings invite us to reflect on the nature of commitment in our own lives. Just as God is faithful to His covenant with Israel, we are called to be faithful in our relationships, whether with God or with others. Marriage, as a sacred covenant, mirrors God's fidelity and love. As we navigate our daily lives, let us approach our commitments with the same seriousness and love that God demonstrates. May we trust in God's faithfulness and strive to reflect that faithfulness in our own relationships, recognizing the sacredness of the bonds we form.