Daily Readings - Sat Feb 17 2018

First Reading - Isaiah 58.9b-14

⁹Then you will call, and the Lord will heed; you will cry out, and he will say, "Here I am," if you take away the chains from your midst, and cease to point your finger and to speak what is not beneficial¹⁰When you pour out your life for the hungry, and you satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light will rise up in darkness, and your darkness will be like the midday¹¹And the Lord will give you rest continually, and he will fill your soul with splendor, and he will free your bones, and you will be like a watered garden and like a fountain of water whose waters will not fail¹²And places that have been desolate for ages will be built up by you. You will raise a foundation for generation after generation. And you will be called the repairer of hedges, who turns the roadways into quiet places¹³If you restrain your foot on the Sabbath, from doing your own will on my holy day, and if you call the Sabbath delightful, and the Holy of the Lord glorious, and if you glorify him, while you do not act according to your own ways, and your own will is not found, not even to speak a word¹⁴then you will find delight in the Lord, and I will take you up, above the heights of the earth, and I will nourish you with the inheritance of Jacob, your father. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken

Gospel - Luke 5.27-32

Luke

Chapter 5

²⁷And after these things, he went out, and he saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the customs office. And he said to him, "Follow me.²⁸And leaving behind everything, rising up, he followed him²⁹And Levi made a great feast for him in his own house. And there was a large crowd of tax collectors and others, who were sitting at table with them³⁰But the Pharisees and scribes were murmuring, saying to his disciples, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?³¹And responding, Jesus said to them: "It is not those who are well who need a doctor, but those who have maladies³²I have not come to call the just, but sinners to repentance.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter powerful calls to live out our faith in action. The first reading from Isaiah challenges us to move beyond superficial religious practices and instead embrace a life of justice and compassion. The prophet condemns empty fasting and points to the true fast: setting free the oppressed, feeding the hungry, and caring for the afflicted. He promises that when we live in such a way, our light will shine in darkness, and we will find true rest and renewal in God. The passage also emphasizes the importance of keeping the Sabbath as a day of delight and glorifying God by not pursuing our own interests. In the Gospel, Jesus demonstrates this very way of living. He calls Levi, a tax collector, to follow him, and Levi responds by leaving everything behind. Jesus then shares a meal with Levi and other tax collectors and sinners, prompting criticism from the Pharisees and scribes. Jesus defends his actions by saying that he has come not for the righteous but for sinners, to call them to repentance. This exchange highlights Jesus’ mission to reach out to those on the margins and to bring healing and forgiveness to those who recognize their need for it. These readings are deeply connected. Isaiah’s call to justice and compassion is fulfilled in Jesus’ ministry of mercy and inclusion. Both readings remind us that our faith must be lived out in tangible ways. We are called to move beyond mere religious rituals and instead to love and serve others, especially those who are marginalized or struggling. In our daily lives, this means being attentive to the needs of those around us, advocating for justice, and reaching out with compassion, just as Jesus did. The moral lesson is clear: our faith is not just about what we believe but about how we live. By living in this way, we not only reflect God’s love but also find true fulfillment and joy.