Daily Readings - Mon Mar 18 2019
Daniel
3So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes.4I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed: "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands,5we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from your commands and laws.6We have not listened to your servants the prophets, who spoke in your name to our kings, our princes and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.7"Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame-the men of Judah and people of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, in all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you.8O LORD, we and our kings, our princes and our fathers are covered with shame because we have sinned against you.9The Lord our God is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him;10we have not obeyed the LORD our God or kept the laws he gave us through his servants the prophets.
Luke
36Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.37"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.38Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of mercy, repentance, and the call to live as disciples of God. In the first reading from Daniel, we hear a heartfelt prayer of confession and supplication. Daniel acknowledges the sins of his people, humbly admitting their failure to follow God’s commandments. He pleads for mercy, recognizing that justice belongs to God while shame and confusion belong to those who have turned away. This passage reminds us of the importance of humility and the need to acknowledge our own shortcomings before God. It is a call to repentance, urging us to turn back to the Lord with sincerity and trust in His mercy.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the necessity of living out God’s mercy in our relationships with others. He instructs us not to judge or condemn but instead to forgive and give generously. The measure we use to measure others, He warns, will be the same measure used for us. This teaching challenges us to reflect on how we treat one another. Are we quick to forgive, or do we hold grudges? Do we show compassion to those in need, or do we turn away? Jesus is clear: our actions toward others are a reflection of our relationship with God. If we seek to be merciful as our Father is merciful, we must act with kindness, understanding, and generosity.
Together, these readings remind us that our faith is not just about what we believe but also about how we live. Daniel’s prayer shows us the importance of humility and repentance, while Jesus’ teaching calls us to extend God’s mercy to others. In our daily lives, let us strive to be people of compassion and forgiveness. May we turn to God with sincere hearts, acknowledging our sins and seeking His mercy. And may we, in turn, be instruments of that mercy in the lives of those around us.