Daily Readings - Sat Mar 21 2020
Hosea
15Then I will go back to my place until they admit their guilt. And they will seek my face; in their misery they will earnestly seek me."
1"Come, let us return to the LORD. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds.2After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.3Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth."4"What can I do with you, Ephraim? What can I do with you, Judah? Your love is like the morning mist, like the early dew that disappears.5Therefore I cut you in pieces with my prophets, I killed you with the words of my mouth; my judgments flashed like lightning upon you.6For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
Luke
9To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable:10"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector.12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'13"But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'14"I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we hear a powerful call to humility and a deeper relationship with God. The first reading from Hosea speaks of a people who have wandered from the Lord but are invited to return to him with humble hearts. Hosea describes a God who longs to heal and restore his people, but he laments their superficial devotion, which is as fleeting as the morning mist. The prophet emphasizes that true worship is not about external rituals but about seeking God with sincerity and knowledge. The second reading from Luke’s Gospel reinforces this message through the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee, confident in his own righteousness, prays with pride, while the tax collector, humbled by his sinfulness, cries out for mercy. Jesus makes it clear that it is the humble, not the self-righteous, who are justified in God’s sight.
These readings are deeply connected, as both Hosea and Jesus challenge us to examine the state of our hearts. Hosea calls us to move beyond superficial religion, while Jesus exposes the dangers of pride and self-reliance. Together, they remind us that true faith is not about comparing ourselves to others or relying on our own works, but about acknowledging our need for God and approaching him with humility. This is a timeless message, as relevant today as it was in Hosea’s time or when Jesus walked among us.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How do we approach God in our prayers and in our lives? Do we come with the humility of the tax collector, recognizing our limitations and sins, or do we, like the Pharisee, focus on our own perceived righteousness? Let us strive to cultivate a spirit of humility and sincerity, knowing that it is only when we acknowledge our need for God that we can truly experience his healing and restoration. May we seek the Lord with humble hearts, for it is in humility that we find true justification and peace.