Daily Readings - Thu Mar 07 2019
Deuteronomy
15See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.16For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.17But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them,18I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.19This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live20and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Luke
22And he said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."23Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.24For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.25What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?
Sermon
In today's readings, we are presented with profound choices that shape our spiritual journey. The first reading from Deuteronomy 30:15-20 sets before us a choice between life and death, blessing and curse. Moses exhorts the people to choose life by adhering to God's commandments, promising prosperity and blessings if they do so, but warning of peril if they turn away. This passage emphasizes the importance of deliberate commitment to God's will.
The Gospel from Luke 9:22-25 shifts the focus to Jesus, who reveals the necessity of self-denial and taking up one's cross to follow Him. He underscores that true life is found in losing oneself for His sake, contrasting the fleeting gains of the world with the eternal salvation offered through Him. This choice is not merely about adhering to laws but about embracing a life transformed by faith and sacrifice.
Both readings converge on the theme of choice, each calling us to a commitment that leads to life. In Deuteronomy, it is the choice to obey God's laws, while in Luke, it is the choice to follow Jesus through self-denial. These choices are not abstract but lived out daily in our decisions and actions. As we navigate life's challenges, we are reminded to trust in God's plan, even when the path is difficult. Let us choose to follow Him, embracing the cross with faith, knowing that true life and fulfillment are found in Him.