Daily Readings - Sat Mar 26 2022
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 powerful messages about humility, mercy, and the true nature of our relationship with God. In the first reading from Hosea, the prophet speaks of a people in distress, who, in their tribulation, turn back to the Lord seeking healing and restoration. Hosea emphasizes that true devotion to God is not about outward rituals but about a humble and sincere heart. The passage reminds us that God desires mercy and knowledge of His ways over external displays of piety.
In the Gospel reading from Luke, Jesus tells the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. The Pharisee, confident in his own righteousness, looks down on others, while the tax collector, aware of his sinfulness, humbly asks for mercy. Jesus makes it clear that it is the humble and contrite heart that is pleasing to God. This parable cuts through self-righteousness and reminds us that true faith is not about comparing ourselves to others but about recognizing our own need for God’s mercy.
Both readings remind us that our relationship with God is not about outward appearances or self-justification but about a humble, sincere heart. Hosea calls us to return to the Lord with genuine devotion, while Luke's parable shows that it's the humble who are exalted. In our daily lives, let us avoid the trap of self-righteousness. Instead, let us approach God with the humility of the tax collector, recognizing our need for His mercy and living with a heart open to His love and guidance.