Daily Readings - Tue Jun 09 2020
1 Kings
7Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land.8Then the word of the LORD came to him:9"Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food."10So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?"11As she was going to get it, he called, "And bring me, please, a piece of bread."12"As surely as the LORD your God lives," she replied, "I don't have any bread-only a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it-and die."13Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son.14For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land.'"15She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.16For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.
Matthew
13"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.14"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on trust in God’s providence and the call to live as witnesses of His love in the world. In the first reading, Elijah encounters a widow at Zarephath who, despite her own poverty and desperation, trusts in God’s promise and shares what little she has. Her act of faith is met with a miracle: the jar of flour and the bottle of oil do not run out, sustaining her and her son until the famine ends. This story reminds us that God often works through the simplest and most vulnerable among us, and that His provision is not limited by our own resources. The widow’s willingness to trust and give despite her own need is a powerful example of faith in action.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us that we are called to be “salt of the earth” and “light of the world.” Just as salt flavors and preserves, and light illuminates the darkness, our lives should have a transformative impact on the world around us. Jesus emphasizes that our good works should be visible to others, not for our own glory, but so that they may see God’s love at work in us and give Him glory. This teaching challenges us to live with intentionality, ensuring that our faith is not hidden but shared generously with others.
Together, these readings encourage us to trust in God’s providence, even in times of uncertainty, and to live as His witnesses in the world. Like the widow, we are called to share what we have, whether it is material, spiritual, or emotional, trusting that God will multiply it in ways we cannot see. And like the light on a lampstand, we are called to let our faith shine brightly, so that others may encounter God’s love through us. May we embrace these callings with courage and humility, knowing that our trust and witness can bring hope and life to a world in need.