Daily Readings - Sat Aug 19 2017
Joshua
14"Now fear the LORD and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your forefathers worshiped beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.15But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."16Then the people answered, "Far be it from us to forsake the LORD to serve other gods!17It was the LORD our God himself who brought us and our fathers up out of Egypt, from that land of slavery, and performed those great signs before our eyes. He protected us on our entire journey and among all the nations through which we traveled.18And the LORD drove out before us all the nations, including the Amorites, who lived in the land. We too will serve the LORD, because he is our God."19Joshua said to the people, "You are not able to serve the LORD. He is a holy God; he is a jealous God. He will not forgive your rebellion and your sins.20If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, he will turn and bring disaster on you and make an end of you, after he has been good to you."21But the people said to Joshua, "No! We will serve the LORD."22Then Joshua said, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the LORD.Yes, we are witnesses," they replied.23"Now then," said Joshua, "throw away the foreign gods that are among you and yield your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel."24And the people said to Joshua, "We will serve the LORD our God and obey him."25On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he drew up for them decrees and laws.26And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the LORD.27"See!" he said to all the people. "This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the LORD has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God."28Then Joshua sent the people away, each to his own inheritance.29After these things, Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of a hundred and ten.
Matthew
13Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them.14Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."15When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful moments of commitment and humility. In the first reading from Joshua, the Israelites stand before their leader, Joshua, and reaffirm their commitment to serve the Lord. Joshua challenges them to choose between the God of their ancestors and the gods of the surrounding cultures, warning them that serving the Lord is no trivial matter. The people, with conviction, declare their loyalty to the Lord, and Joshua seals this covenant with a stone of remembrance, a tangible symbol of their promise to follow God.
In the Gospel, we find Jesus teaching a different kind of lesson about commitment. When children are brought to him, the disciples try to shoo them away, thinking them unworthy of Jesus’ attention. But Jesus rebukes the disciples, saying, “Let the children come to me… for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Here, Jesus emphasizes the qualities of humility, trust, and openness that children embody. He invites us to approach God not with the pride or self-reliance of adults but with the simplicity and dependence of a child.
These readings remind us that following God requires both commitment and humility. Joshua’s call to choose the Lord is a call to fidelity and perseverance in our faith, even when the journey is difficult. Jesus’ welcome of the children, on the other hand, invites us to approach God with the same kind of trust and vulnerability that children naturally exhibit. Together, they teach us that living as disciples means making a deliberate choice to follow God while also embracing the humility and openness that allows us to receive God’s grace.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Where am I being called to renew my commitment to God? And how can I cultivate a childlike humility in my relationship with Him? May we, like the Israelites, choose to serve the Lord with sincerity, and may we, like the children, approach Him with trust and simplicity. In doing so, we will find the true freedom and joy of living in God’s kingdom.