Daily Readings - Sat Mar 09 2024
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 encounter two powerful messages that invite us to reflect on our relationship with God and our approach to prayer. The first reading from Hosea speaks of a people who have wandered away from God but are called to return to Him with humility and sincerity. Hosea emphasizes that true faith is not about external rituals but about seeking God with a contrite heart. The prophet reminds us that God desires mercy and a deep knowledge of Him more than sacrifices or hollow religious practices. The second reading from Luke’s Gospel presents a parable that contrasts the self-righteousness of a Pharisee with the humility of a tax collector. While the Pharisee boasts of his own righteousness, 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 justified before God.
These readings are deeply connected in their emphasis on humility and the authentic pursuit of God. Hosea calls the people of Israel to abandon their superficial religiosity and return to a genuine relationship with the Lord, while Jesus warns against the dangers of self-righteousness and pride. Both readings remind us that true spirituality is not about comparing ourselves to others or relying on external acts of piety but about acknowledging our need for God’s mercy and grace. The tax collector’s prayer, “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner,” is a beautiful example of the humility that God desires from us.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How do we approach God in prayer? Do we come with a sense of self-satisfaction, or do we humbly acknowledge our limitations and sins? Let us also consider how we relate to others. Do we look down on those we perceive as less righteous, or do we recognize that we are all in need of God’s mercy? These readings call us to a deeper conversion of heart, to a faith that is rooted in humility and a genuine desire to know and love God above all else. May we, like the tax collector, find the courage to approach God with humility, knowing that it is in our weakness that His grace can truly shine.