Daily Readings - Mon Sep 21 2020
Ephesians
1As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.2Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.4There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope when you were called--5one Lord, one faith, one baptism;6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.7But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.11It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers,12to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
Matthew
9As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. "Follow me," he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.10While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" came and ate with him and his disciples.11When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and 'sinners'?"12On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.13But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the importance of unity and compassion within the Christian community. The first reading from Ephesians emphasizes that, despite our diverse roles and gifts, we are all part of the same body of Christ. Paul urges us to live with humility, patience, and love, preserving the unity of the Spirit. The Gospel from Matthew illustrates this unity in action, as Jesus reaches out to Matthew, a tax collector, and dines with sinners, challenging the Pharisees’ rigid understanding of holiness. Jesus’ response, “I have come not to call the just, but sinners,” underscores God’s mercy and desire for inclusion.
The context of these readings is rooted in the early Christian community’s struggle to understand its identity and mission. Ephesians, written by Paul, addresses a Church composed of both Jews and Gentiles, urging them to live as one body in Christ. Matthew’s Gospel, on the other hand, reflects Jesus’ ministry to those on the margins, highlighting His mission to bring all people into God’s kingdom. Together, these readings remind us that the Church is not just for the perfect or the righteous but for everyone, especially those who feel unworthy or excluded.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to embrace our diversity and to reach out to those on the peripheries. Just as Jesus dined with tax collectors and sinners, we are called to break down barriers and to create spaces of inclusion and understanding. The moral lesson here is clear: God’s mercy and love are not reserved for the few but are offered to all. Let us, therefore, live with humility and compassion, recognizing that each of us is a part of the one body of Christ, and that our unity is strengthened when we welcome and support one another.