Daily Readings - Mon Jun 25 2018
2 Kings
5The king of Assyria invaded the entire land, marched against Samaria and laid siege to it for three years.6In the ninth year of Hoshea, the king of Assyria captured Samaria and deported the Israelites to Assyria. He settled them in Halah, in Gozan on the Habor River and in the towns of the Medes.7All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the LORD their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods8and followed the practices of the nations the LORD had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced.13The LORD warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: "Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your fathers to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets."14But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their fathers, who did not trust in the LORD their God.15They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their fathers and the warnings he had given them. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the LORD had ordered them, "Do not do as they do," and they did the things the LORD had forbidden them to do.18So the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them from his presence. Only the tribe of Judah was left,
Matthew
1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged.2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.3"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are presented with two profound reflections on sin, judgment, and the call to self-examination. The first reading from 2 Kings recounts the fall of Israel, which occurred because the people turned away from God and followed the idolatrous practices of neighboring nations. Despite the warnings of prophets, they hardened their hearts and refused to return to the Lord, leading to their exile and suffering. This passage serves as a cautionary tale about the consequences of spiritual complacency and the importance of fidelity to God’s covenant.
The Gospel reading from Matthew complements this theme, as Jesus teaches about the dangers of hypocrisy and judgment. He warns us not to judge others harshly, for we will be judged by the same standard we use on others. Jesus uses the vivid image of a splinter and a board to emphasize the need for self-reflection. Before we can help others see their faults, we must first acknowledge and address our own shortcomings. This teaching calls us to humility and honesty in our relationships with others and with God.
These readings remind us that true faith requires both a willingness to acknowledge our sins and a commitment to personal conversion. Just as the Israelites were called to return to the Lord, we too are invited to examine our lives, repent of our sins, and live according to God’s will. By doing so, we avoid the hypocrisy of judging others while ignoring our own faults. Let us approach life with humility, seeking to grow in holiness and to love others as God loves us.