Daily Readings - Mon Feb 19 2018
Leviticus
1The LORD said to Moses,2"Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: 'Be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.11"'Do not steal. "'Do not lie. "'Do not deceive one another.12"'Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the LORD.13"'Do not defraud your neighbor or rob him. "'Do not hold back the wages of a hired man overnight.14"'Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the LORD.15"'Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.16"'Do not go about spreading slander among your people. "'Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor's life. I am the LORD.17"'Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt.18"'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
Matthew
31"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory.32All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.34"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.35For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,36I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'37"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'40"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'41"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink,43I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'44"They also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?'45"He will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.'46"Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on how we live out our faith in everyday life. In the first reading from Leviticus, we are reminded of the call to holiness and the practical ways this is expressed: not stealing, lying, or oppressing others, but instead treating all people justly and with compassion. This passage emphasizes that holiness is not just a spiritual state but is lived out in concrete actions toward others. In the Gospel, Jesus paints a vivid picture of the final judgment, where the criterion for eternal life is how we have treated the most vulnerable among us—the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned. Those who served these "least ones" are welcomed into eternal life, while those who ignored them are separated from God.
Both readings are connected by the theme of living out our faith through love and justice. Leviticus provides the moral foundation for how we should treat others, while Matthew’s Gospel reveals the ultimate consequences of living according to that foundation. Jesus makes it clear that our relationship with God is inseparable from our relationship with others, especially those in need. The way we treat the poor, the stranger, and the marginalized is the way we treat Christ himself. This connection challenges us to see God in every person we encounter and to act with the same love and mercy that God has shown us.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How do I treat those around me? Do I see Christ in the faces of those who are suffering or overlooked? The moral lesson here is clear: our faith is not just about words or beliefs but about the concrete actions we take to love and serve others. May we strive to live with compassion, integrity, and justice, knowing that our actions have eternal significance. Let us remember that holiness is not an abstract ideal but a way of life that flows from a deep love for God and for our neighbor.