Daily Readings - Sun Oct 29 2017

First Reading - Exodus 22.21-27

²¹You shall not harass the newcomer, nor shall you afflict him. For you yourselves were once newcomers in the land of Egypt²²You shall not harm a widow or an orphan²³If you hurt them, they will cry out to me, and I will hear their cry²⁴And my fury will be enraged, and I will strike you down with the sword. And your wives will become widows, and your sons will become orphans²⁵If you lend money to the poor of my people who live among you, you shall not coerce them like a collector, nor oppress them with usury²⁶If you take a garment from your neighbor as a pledge, you shall return it to him again before the setting of the sun²⁷For it is all that he has to cover himself, to clothe his body; nor does he have anything else in which to sleep. If he cries out to me, I will hear him, because I am compassionate

Second Reading - 1 Thessalonians 1.5c-10

1 Thessalonians

Chapter 1

⁵For our Gospel has not been among you in word alone, but also in virtue, and in the Holy Spirit, and with a great fullness, in the same manner as you know we have acted among you for your sake⁶And so, you became imitators of us and of the Lord, accepting the Word in the midst of great tribulation, but with the joy of the Holy Spirit⁷So have you become a pattern for all who believe in Macedonia and in Achaia⁸For from you, the Word of the Lord was spread, not only in Macedonia and in Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith, which is toward God, has advanced so much so that we do not need to speak to you about anything⁹For others are reporting among us of the kind of acceptance we had among you, and how you were converted from idols to God, to the service of the living and true God¹⁰and to the expectation of his Son from heaven (whom he raised up from the dead), Jesus, who has rescued us from the approaching wrath

Gospel - Matthew 22.34-40

Matthew

Chapter 22

³⁴But the Pharisees, hearing that he had caused the Sadducees to be silent, came together as one³⁵And one of them, a doctor of the law, questioned him, to test him³⁶"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?³⁷Jesus said to him: " ‘You shall love the Lord your God from all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind.³⁸This is the greatest and first commandment³⁹But the second is similar to it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.⁴⁰On these two commandments the entire law depends, and also the prophets.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we are reminded of the heart of God’s law and the call to live a life of love, compassion, and faith. The first reading from Exodus emphasizes the importance of treating the vulnerable—newcomers, widows, orphans, and the poor—with justice and kindness. This passage reflects God’s special care for those who are marginalized and reminds us that our actions toward them are actions toward God. The second reading from 1 Thessalonians highlights the transformative power of the Gospel. The early Christian community in Thessalonica became a model of faith and joy, even in the face of suffering, because they embraced the Word of God with openness and courage. Their example encourages us to live our faith with authenticity and enthusiasm, inspiring others to do the same. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches that the greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, and mind, and the second is to love our neighbor as ourselves. These two commandments, Jesus says, are the foundation of the entire law and the prophets. These readings are deeply connected. The command to love God and neighbor is not just a moral rule; it is the essence of who God is and how He calls us to live. In Exodus, we see this love expressed in concrete actions of justice and compassion toward the vulnerable. In Thessalonians, we see this love lived out in the joy and perseverance of the early Christians, who became a beacon of hope for others. In Matthew, Jesus simplifies the law to its core: love. Together, these readings remind us that faith is not just about words or rules but about how we live out our relationship with God and with one another. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How am I living out the commandment to love? Am I treating others with the same compassion and justice that God shows to me? Am I allowing the Gospel to transform my life and inspire others? Let us strive to be like the Thessalonians, who embraced the Word with joy and became a light to those around them. Let us also remember that love is not just a feeling but a choice—a choice to act with kindness, to stand with the vulnerable, and to reflect God’s love in all we do. May we, like the early Christians, become models of faith and love, shining the light of Christ in a world that so desperately needs it.