Daily Readings - Fri Jun 13 2025
2 Corinthians
7But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.8We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;9persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.10We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.11For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body.12So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.13It is written: "I believed; therefore I have spoken." With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak,14because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence.15All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
Matthew
27"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.'28But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.29If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.30And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.31"It has been said, 'Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.'32But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, causes her to become an adulteress, and anyone who marries the divorced woman commits adultery.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the fragility of human life and the call to live with integrity and faith. In the second reading from 2 Corinthians, St. Paul reminds us that we are but earthen vessels, fragile and weak, yet we hold within us the sublime treasure of God’s power. He speaks of enduring tribulations, persecutions, and even death, but through it all, the life of Jesus is manifested in our mortal flesh. This passage underscores the paradox of Christian life: in our weakness, God’s strength shines forth, and in our suffering, His resurrection power is revealed.
In the Gospel, Jesus challenges us to a deeper understanding of morality and purity. He teaches that sin goes beyond outward actions to the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Adultery, for instance, is not just a physical act but also a matter of lustful desires. Jesus calls us to radical self-denial, even to the point of sacrificing our own desires and attachments for the sake of living according to God’s will. This teaching is not about legalism but about the seriousness of sin and the call to holiness. It invites us to examine our hearts and to root out anything that leads us away from God.
These readings are deeply connected. Both remind us that the Christian life is not one of comfort or ease but of sacrifice and trust in God’s power. Just as Paul endures suffering with faith, Jesus calls us to endure the struggle against sin with courage and determination. In our daily lives, we are called to embrace our weaknesses and to rely on God’s grace. We are also called to purity of heart, which requires us to confront our own sinfulness and to make difficult choices. Let us ask for the strength to carry our crosses with faith, knowing that in our struggles, the life of Christ is made manifest. May we trust in God’s power to transform our frailty into a vessel of His glory.