Daily Readings - Fri Jul 01 2022
Amos
4Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land,5saying, "When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat?"- skimping the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales,6buying the poor with silver and the needy for a pair of sandals, selling even the sweepings with the wheat.9"In that day," declares the Sovereign LORD, "I will make the sun go down at noon and darken the earth in broad daylight.10I will turn your religious feasts into mourning and all your singing into weeping. I will make all of you wear sackcloth and shave your heads. I will make that time like mourning for an only son and the end of it like a bitter day.11"The days are coming," declares the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine through the land- not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD.12Men will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the LORD, but they will not find it.
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
The readings today offer a powerful message about justice, compassion, and the call to follow God’s way. In the first reading from Amos, we hear a prophet denouncing those who exploit the poor and the vulnerable. Amos speaks of a society that has become so consumed by greed and injustice that it has forgotten the true meaning of living as God’s people. He warns of a time when there will be a famine—not of bread or water—but of hearing the word of the Lord. This is a stark reminder that turning away from God’s justice and mercy leads to spiritual emptiness.
In the Gospel, we see Jesus embodying the very mercy and justice that Amos calls for. Jesus calls Matthew, a tax collector, to follow him. Tax collectors were often seen as sinners and outcasts because of their collaboration with the Roman authorities and their reputation for dishonesty. Yet, Jesus does not shun Matthew; instead, he invites him to join him. When the Pharisees criticize Jesus for eating with sinners, Jesus responds by saying, “I have not come to call the just, but sinners.” This is a profound statement. It reminds us that none of us are without sin, and that God’s mercy is not reserved for the perfect but for those who recognize their need for it.
These readings challenge us to reflect on our own lives. Are we like the Pharisees, quick to judge others while ignoring our own shortcomings? Or are we like Matthew, willing to leave behind our old ways and follow Jesus? Amos and Jesus both call us to live with compassion and justice. We are reminded that true faith is not about outward appearances or rituals but about living in a way that reflects God’s love and mercy. Let us ask ourselves: Do we treat others with kindness and respect, especially those who may be marginalized or overlooked? Do we seek to grow in holiness by acknowledging our own sinfulness and turning to God? The readings today invite us to embrace a life of humility, mercy, and justice, just as Jesus did.