Daily Readings - Fri Mar 17 2023
Hosea
1Return, O Israel, to the LORD your God. Your sins have been your downfall!2Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to him: "Forgive all our sins and receive us graciously, that we may offer the fruit of our lips.3Assyria cannot save us; we will not mount war-horses. We will never again say 'Our gods' to what our own hands have made, for in you the fatherless find compassion."4"I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them.5I will be like the dew to Israel; he will blossom like a lily. Like a cedar of Lebanon he will send down his roots;6his young shoots will grow. His splendor will be like an olive tree, his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.7Men will dwell again in his shade. He will flourish like the grain. He will blossom like a vine, and his fame will be like the wine from Lebanon.8O Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols? I will answer him and care for him. I am like a green pine tree; your fruitfulness comes from me."9Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.
Mark
28One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?"29"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.30Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'31The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."32"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.33To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."34When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter a powerful call to return to God and to embrace the essence of His commandments. The prophet Hosea urges Israel to repent, turning away from idols and towards the Lord, promising healing and restoration. This passage is rich with imagery of flourishing under God's care, inviting us to reflect on our own relationship with Him.
In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus is asked about the greatest commandment. He responds by citing the Shema, emphasizing love for God with all our being, and adds the commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves. This exchange highlights the heart of Jesus' teachings: that love is the foundation of our faith and actions.
These readings connect through the theme of love and relationship. Hosea illustrates God's desire for a loving relationship with His people, while Mark underscores Jesus' teaching on the primacy of love. Together, they remind us to prioritize love for God and others in our daily lives. Let us reflect on how our actions and decisions align with these commandments, embracing the transformative power of love in our journey towards the kingdom of God.