Daily Readings - Wed Feb 14 2018
Joel
12"Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning."13Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.14Who knows? He may turn and have pity and leave behind a blessing- grain offerings and drink offerings for the LORD your God.15Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly.16Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber.17Let the priests, who minister before the LORD, weep between the temple porch and the altar. Let them say, "Spare your people, O LORD. Do not make your inheritance an object of scorn, a byword among the nations. Why should they say among the peoples, 'Where is their God?'"18Then the LORD will be jealous for his land and take pity on his people.
Matthew
1"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.2"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.3But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,4so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.5"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.6But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.16"When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.17But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face,18so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on the essence of true spirituality and our relationship with God. The prophet Joel calls us to return to God with our whole heart, emphasizing the importance of genuine repentance over outward displays. This call is set against a backdrop of crisis, urging the people to seek God’s mercy through fasting, weeping, and a sincere change of heart. Joel reminds us that true conversion involves rending our hearts, not just our garments, seeking God’s compassion and steadfast love.
The second reading from 2 Corinthians complements Joel’s message by highlighting our role as ambassadors for Christ, urging reconciliation with God. Paul emphasizes that Christ, who was without sin, became sin for us, allowing us to become the righteousness of God. This profound truth underscores the urgency of not taking God’s grace in vain, recognizing that the present moment is a favorable time for salvation. It encourages us to embrace this day of grace with openness and gratitude.
In the Gospel, Matthew teaches us about the proper way to practice almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. Jesus warns against hypocrisy, advising us to perform these acts in secret so that our reward comes from God, not from human praise. This teaching from the Sermon on the Mount reminds us that true piety is about sincerity and humility, seeking God’s approval over human recognition.
Applying these readings to our daily lives, we are called to examine our motivations and ensure our actions are rooted in a genuine relationship with God. Let us not seek to impress others with our religious practices, but rather cultivate a deep, personal connection with our Father in secret. In doing so, we honor God’s desire for sincerity and humility. The moral lesson here is the importance of living with hearts open to conversion and reconciliation, embracing each moment as an opportunity to grow closer to God. Let us cherish the present as a time of grace, living with sincerity and humility, mindful that our true reward comes from God.