Daily Readings - Wed Mar 03 2021
Jeremiah
18They said, "Come, let's make plans against Jeremiah; for the teaching of the law by the priest will not be lost, nor will counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophets. So come, let's attack him with our tongues and pay no attention to anything he says."19Listen to me, O LORD; hear what my accusers are saying!20Should good be repaid with evil? Yet they have dug a pit for me. Remember that I stood before you and spoke in their behalf to turn your wrath away from them.
Matthew
17Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them,18"We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death19and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!"20Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.21"What is it you want?" he asked. She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom."22"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said to them. "Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?We can," they answered.23Jesus said to them, "You will indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared by my Father."24When the ten heard about this, they were indignant with the two brothers.25Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them.26Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,27and whoever wants to be first must be your slave--28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound lessons on trust and humility. Jeremiah, facing opposition and plots against him, trusts in God’s justice and deliverance, despite the adversity. Similarly, in Matthew, Jesus foretells his passion and resurrection, teaching his disciples about true greatness through service. The mother of James and John seeks positions of honor, but Jesus redirects the disciples to a path of humility and servant-leadership.
Jeremiah’s context is one of persecution, common for prophets, while Jesus’s context is preparing his disciples for his death and redefining leadership. Both readings highlight trust in God and the value of humility. Jeremiah’s trust in God’s justice and Jesus’s emphasis on service illustrate that true strength lies not in power but in faith and serving others.
In our daily lives, these readings remind us to trust God during hardships and embrace humility. The moral lesson is clear: our faith should lead us to serve others selflessly, reflecting the heart of Christ. Let us strive to trust God and live with humility, finding greatness in serving others.