Daily Readings - Sat Aug 03 2019
Leviticus
1The LORD said to Moses on Mount Sinai,8"'Count off seven sabbaths of years-seven times seven years-so that the seven sabbaths of years amount to a period of forty-nine years.9Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land.10Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan.11The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines.12For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields.13"'In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to his own property.14"'If you sell land to one of your countrymen or buy any from him, do not take advantage of each other.15You are to buy from your countryman on the basis of the number of years since the Jubilee. And he is to sell to you on the basis of the number of years left for harvesting crops.16When the years are many, you are to increase the price, and when the years are few, you are to decrease the price, because what he is really selling you is the number of crops.17Do not take advantage of each other, but fear your God. I am the LORD your God.
Matthew
1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus,2and he said to his attendants, "This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him."3Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife,4for John had been saying to him: "It is not lawful for you to have her."5Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered him a prophet.6On Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for them and pleased Herod so much7that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.8Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist."9The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted10and had John beheaded in the prison.11His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother.12John's disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on justice, morality, and the consequences of our actions. In Leviticus, we hear about the Jubilee year, a time of restoration and equality, where debts are forgiven and land is returned to its rightful owners. This practice, rooted in God’s command, emphasizes fairness and compassion, reminding us that true justice is not just about punishment but about restoration and new beginnings. It challenges us to consider how we can promote equity and mercy in our own lives and society.
In the Gospel, we encounter a very different scenario. Herod, trapped by his desires and fears, orders the beheading of John the Baptist. This tragic event highlights the consequences of sin and the importance of standing up for what is right, even in the face of adversity. John’s courage to speak truth to power, even at great personal cost, serves as a powerful example of fidelity to God’s will. Herod’s actions, on the other hand, reveal the destructive power of pride and the fear of losing control.
Together, these readings call us to live lives grounded in God’s justice and mercy. The Jubilee reminds us of the importance of fairness and compassion, while John the Baptist’s martyrdom challenges us to remain faithful and courageous in the face of moral compromise. As we go about our daily lives, let us strive to create a world where justice and mercy reign, and let us have the courage to stand up for what is right, even when it is difficult. May we, like John, be bold in proclaiming God’s truth, and may we, like the Jubilee, bring restoration and hope to those around us.