Daily Readings - Tue Jul 23 2024
Micah
14Shepherd your people with your staff, the flock of your inheritance, which lives by itself in a forest, in fertile pasturelands. Let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in days long ago.15"As in the days when you came out of Egypt, I will show them my wonders."18Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.19You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.20You will be true to Jacob, and show mercy to Abraham, as you pledged on oath to our fathers in days long ago.
Matthew
46While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him.48He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?"49Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers.50For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter profound messages from both the Old and New Testaments that guide us in understanding God's mercy and our role within His family. The first reading from Micah offers a vision of hope and redemption. Micah, speaking to a distressed Israel, reminds us of God's faithfulness and mercy. He portrays God as a shepherd tending to His people, promising forgiveness and the casting away of sins. This message is set against the backdrop of Israel's struggles, emphasizing that even in darkness, God's mercy endures.
The Gospel from Matthew shifts our focus to Jesus, who redefines family. When His biological relatives approach, Jesus expands the concept of kinship to include all who do God's will. This teaching, rooted in the context of Jesus' ministry emphasizing the kingdom of God, invites us to see our spiritual family as those united in faith and action. Together, Micah and Matthew highlight the dual aspects of God's nature: His mercy and His call to live according to His will.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to embrace both the reception of God's mercy and the active pursuit of His will. We are called to live as part of God's family, not just by birth but by our deeds. This means serving others with love and compassion, reflecting God's mercy in our interactions. The moral lesson here is the transformative power of spiritual kinship and the call to embody God's love in all we do, thereby living as true members of His family.