Daily Readings - Fri Aug 14 2020
First Reading - Ezekiel 16.1-15, 60, 63 or Ezekiel 16.59-63
Ezekiel
1The word of the LORD came to me:2"Son of man, confront Jerusalem with her detestable practices3and say, 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says to Jerusalem: Your ancestry and birth were in the land of the Canaanites; your father was an Amorite and your mother a Hittite.4On the day you were born your cord was not cut, nor were you washed with water to make you clean, nor were you rubbed with salt or wrapped in cloths.5No one looked on you with pity or had compassion enough to do any of these things for you. Rather, you were thrown out into the open field, for on the day you were born you were despised.6"'Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood I said to you, "Live!"7I made you grow like a plant of the field. You grew up and developed and became the most beautiful of jewels. Your breasts were formed and your hair grew, you who were naked and bare.8"'Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine.9"'I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you.10I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments.11I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck,12and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head.13So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was fine flour, honey and olive oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen.14And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendor I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign LORD.15"'But you trusted in your beauty and used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his.60Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.63Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign LORD.'"
Ezekiel
59"'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I will deal with you as you deserve, because you have despised my oath by breaking the covenant.60Yet I will remember the covenant I made with you in the days of your youth, and I will establish an everlasting covenant with you.61Then you will remember your ways and be ashamed when you receive your sisters, both those who are older than you and those who are younger. I will give them to you as daughters, but not on the basis of my covenant with you.62So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the LORD.63Then, when I make atonement for you for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your humiliation, declares the Sovereign LORD.'"
Matthew
3Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?"4"Haven't you read," he replied, "that at the beginning the Creator 'made them male and female,'5and said, 'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'?6So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."7"Why then," they asked, "did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?"8Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning.9I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery."10The disciples said to him, "If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry."11Jesus replied, "Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given.12For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."
Sermon
Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the sacredness of relationships and the enduring nature of God’s love. In Ezekiel, we hear the story of Jerusalem, portrayed as a foundling child, unwanted and left to die. Yet, God sees her, rescues her, and transforms her into a queen. This metaphor speaks of God’s mercy and the transformative power of His love. However, the passage also reveals the consequences of unfaithfulness, as Jerusalem turns away from God, leading to brokenness. Still, God remains faithful, offering a covenant of everlasting love.
In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus is questioned by the Pharisees about divorce. He responds by emphasizing the permanence of marriage as part of God’s original design. While Moses allowed divorce due to human hardness, Jesus makes it clear that this was not God’s intent. He teaches that divorce and remarriage can lead to adultery, except in cases of unfaithfulness. This challenging teaching leads His disciples to question the practicality of marriage, prompting Jesus to discuss different forms of chastity and the call to some to remain single for the kingdom.
Both readings remind us of the sacredness of commitments and the call to faithfulness. Ezekiel’s prophecy shows us that our relationship with God is rooted in His faithfulness, even when we fail. Jesus’ teaching on marriage invites us to reflect on the seriousness of our commitments and the need to approach them with love and perseverance. Let us strive to live out our relationships—whether with God or with others—with fidelity and gratitude, recognizing the transformative power of God’s love in our lives.