Daily Readings - Thu Feb 15 2018

First Reading - Deuteronomy 30.15-20

¹⁵Consider what I have set forth in your sight this day, life and good, or, on the opposite side, death and evil¹⁶so that you may love the Lord your God, and walk in his ways, and keep his commandments and ceremonies and judgments, and so that you may live, and he may multiply you and bless you in the land, which you shall enter in order to possess¹⁷But if your heart will have been turned aside, so that you are not willing to listen, and, having been deceived by error, you adore strange gods and serve them¹⁸then I predict to you this day that you will perish, and you will remain for only a short time in the land, for which you shall cross the Jordan, and which you shall enter in order to possess¹⁹I call heaven and earth as witnesses this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life, so that both you and your offspring may live²⁰and so that you may love the Lord your God, and obey his voice, and cling to him, (for he is your life and the length of your days) and so that you may live in the land, about which the Lord swore to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, that he would give it to them.

Gospel - Luke 9.22-25

Luke

Chapter 9

²²saying, "For the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and the leaders of the priests and the scribes, and be killed, and on the third day rise again.²³Then he said to everyone: "If anyone is willing to come after me: let him deny himself, and take up his cross every day, and follow me²⁴For whoever will have saved his life, will lose it. Yet whoever will have lost his life for my sake, will save it²⁵For how does it benefit a man, if he were to gain the whole world, yet lose himself, or cause himself harm

Sermon

In today's readings, we are presented with profound choices and commitments that shape our spiritual journey. The first reading from Deuteronomy captures Moses' impassioned plea to the Israelites as they stand on the brink of entering the Promised Land. He lays before them a clear choice: life and blessing through obedience to God's commandments, or death and curse through disobedience. This moment is pivotal, as it underscores the Israelites' responsibility to remain faithful to the covenant they have with God, a covenant that promises life and prosperity if they adhere to His ways. The Gospel reading from Luke shifts our focus to Jesus, who reveals the inevitable path of suffering and rejection He must endure. He then turns to His disciples, emphasizing the cost of following Him. Jesus calls them to deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow Him, asserting that true life is found in losing oneself for His sake. This teaching challenges the disciples—and us—to reevaluate our priorities and commitments, recognizing that earthly gains are worthless compared to the eternal life offered through Christ. Both readings invite us to reflect on the choices we make in our daily lives. Moses' words remind us that our decisions have consequences, urging us to choose life by staying true to God's commandments. Jesus extends this by calling us to a radical commitment, one that involves self-denial and embracing the cross. In a world filled with distractions and temptations, these readings encourage us to remain steadfast in our faith, trusting that God's plan, though often challenging, leads us to true and eternal life. Let us, therefore, choose life by following God's path, even when it demands sacrifice, for it is in losing ourselves for Christ that we truly find ourselves.