Daily Readings - Fri Aug 02 2024
Jeremiah
1Early in the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came from the LORD:2"This is what the LORD says: Stand in the courtyard of the LORD's house and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah who come to worship in the house of the LORD. Tell them everything I command you; do not omit a word.3Perhaps they will listen and each will turn from his evil way. Then I will relent and not bring on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done.4Say to them, 'This is what the LORD says: If you do not listen to me and follow my law, which I have set before you,5and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened),6then I will make this house like Shiloh and this city an object of cursing among all the nations of the earth.'"7The priests, the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the LORD.8But as soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the LORD had commanded him to say, the priests, the prophets and all the people seized him and said, "You must die!9Why do you prophesy in the LORD's name that this house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted?" And all the people crowded around Jeremiah in the house of the LORD.
Matthew
54Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked.55"Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?56Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?"57And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor."58And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound moments where God’s messengers face rejection. The first reading from Jeremiah depicts the prophet standing in the temple courtyard, delivering a stern warning to the people of Judah. He calls them to repentance, urging them to turn away from their sinful ways. However, his message is met with hostility, and the people, including the priests and prophets, seek to kill him. This reaction underscores the human tendency to resist uncomfortable truths, especially when they challenge our complacency.
The Gospel reading from Matthew presents a similar theme of rejection, this time involving Jesus in his hometown of Nazareth. Despite His wisdom and miracles, the people are skeptical because they know Him as the son of a carpenter. Their familiarity with His humble origins blinds them to His divine mission, leading to unbelief. Jesus’ statement that a prophet is without honor in His own country highlights the difficulty of receiving truth from one who is close to us.
These readings remind us that faith requires humility and openness. Like the people in Jeremiah’s time and Jesus’ hometown, we may resist God’s message when it challenges our perceptions or comforts. Let us reflect on our own response to God’s word. Do we allow pride or familiarity to harden our hearts? Let us pray for the grace to receive God’s truth with humility, embracing the call to conversion and growth in our daily lives.