Daily Readings - Fri Jul 06 2018
Amos
4Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land,5saying, "When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat?"- skimping the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales,6buying the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the sweepings with the wheat.9"In that day," declares the Sovereign LORD, "I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.10I will turn your religious feasts into mourning and all your singing into weeping. I will make all of you wear sackcloth and shave your heads. I will make that time like mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day.11"The days are coming," declares the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine through the land- not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD.12Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it.
Matthew
9As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.10While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples.11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"12On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.13But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages from the Prophet Amos and the Gospel of Matthew, both emphasizing God's deep concern for justice and mercy. Amos condemns the exploitation of the poor by the wealthy, who prioritize profit over righteousness, leading to a spiritual famine—a lack of hearing God's word. In contrast, Matthew's Gospel shows Jesus embracing sinners, calling Matthew, a tax collector, and dining with those marginalized, teaching that mercy is paramount over ritual sacrifice.
These readings are set against the backdrop of societal inequality and religious hypocrisy. Amos speaks during a prosperous yet unjust time in Israel, where the wealthy oppress the poor. Matthew's narrative challenges the Pharisees' strict legalism, highlighting Jesus' mission to the outcasts. Both texts underscore God's desire for justice and compassion over external piety.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to reflect on our treatment of others, especially the vulnerable. We must act justly, avoiding exploitation and greed, and instead show mercy and humility. Jesus' example teaches us to reach out to those on the margins, embracing them with love and compassion. The moral lesson is clear: true faith is demonstrated through our commitment to justice and mercy, living as humble and compassionate followers of Christ.