Daily Readings - Tue Mar 07 2023
Isaiah
10Hear the word of the LORD, you rulers of Sodom; listen to the law of our God, you people of Gomorrah!16wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight! Stop doing wrong,17learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow.18"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.19If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land;20but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword." For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.27Zion will be redeemed with justice, her penitent ones with righteousness.28But rebels and sinners will both be broken, and those who forsake the LORD will perish.31The mighty man will become tinder and his work a spark; both will burn together, with no one to quench the fire."
Matthew
1Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:2"The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat.3So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.4They tie up heavy loads and put them on men's shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.5"Everything they do is done for men to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long;6they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues;7they love to be greeted in the marketplaces and to have men call them 'Rabbi.'8"But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers.9And do not call anyone on earth 'father,' for you have one Father, and he is in heaven.10Nor are you to be called 'teacher,' for you have one Teacher, the Christ.11The greatest among you will be your servant.12For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
Sermon
The readings today offer a powerful call to authenticity and integrity in our relationship with God and with others. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a stern warning to the leaders of God’s people, urging them to turn away from corruption and hypocrisy. The prophet condemns those who claim to follow God’s law but fail to live justly, exploiting the vulnerable and ignoring the plight of the widow and the orphan. Isaiah reminds us that true faith is not about outward appearances or empty rituals but about living with justice, compassion, and humility. He calls us to “learn to do good” and to seek judgment that uplifts the marginalized. The prophet’s words are a reminder that our actions must align with our faith, and that genuine repentance leads to healing and restoration.
In the Gospel, Jesus continues this theme by denouncing the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees. He criticizes their tendency to burden others with strict rules while failing to live by those same standards. They seek praise and recognition for their outward piety, but their hearts are far from God. Jesus teaches that true greatness is not about seeking power or prestige but about serving others with humility. He reminds us that we have only one Master, one Father, and one Teacher—God himself. This means that no one on earth should be exalted above others, and that leadership is about serving, not being served.
Together, these readings challenge us to examine our own lives and motivations. Are we living with integrity, or are we more concerned with appearances? Do we use our faith to uplift others, or do we use it to elevate ourselves? The moral lesson is clear: true faith is not about what others see but about how we live in accordance with God’s will. Let us strive to be people of authenticity, compassion, and humility, remembering that our actions speak louder than our words. May we learn to “do good” and to seek justice, that we may be instruments of God’s love in the world.