I remember having coffee with a man who earned more in a few hours of investing than I had in my entire bank account.
He asked me if I had any available money and shared a profitable investment tip, which later greatly benefited my wife and me.
God, also, offers us guidance, usually not about the stock market, but for a fulfilling life. Today’s lectionary passage encourages us to act on God’s wisdom, much like I did with that man.
The lectionary: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031525.cfm.
Reading 1 – Deuteronomy 26:16-19
With the law fully revealed on the plains of Moab, the people publicly declared their loyalty to God in this passage from Deuteronomy. God, in turn, solemnly declared His unwavering faithfulness to His people.
“This very day the Lord your God is commanding you to observe these statutes and ordinances, so observe them diligently with all your heart and with all your soul.
Today you have obtained the Lord’s agreement: to be your God; and for you to walk in his ways, to keep his statutes, his commandments, and his ordinances, and to obey him.
Today the Lord has obtained your agreement: to be his treasured people, as he promised you, and to keep all his commandments; for him to set you high above all nations that he has made, in praise and in fame and in honor; and for you to be a people holy to the Lord your God, as he promised” (Deuteronomy 26:16-19).
We understand the heart as the center of emotions, but the Old Testament saw it as the origin of thought and decision. God’s command was to give thoughtful consideration and deliberate choice to doing His will.
Obeying God’s statutes and ordinances with the “soul” means engaging our entire being—mind, will, emotions, and body—in complete, inner and outer obedience.
The Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) presents Jesus’ interpretation of God’s law for His people. Today’s lectionary reading includes one of His teachings on how to wholeheartedly serve God.
God’s covenant commitment was to recognize the Hebrew people as His treasured possession and to bless them as His chosen, holy (set-apart) people.
Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 119:1-2, 4-5, 7-8
The Feast of Pentecost, a spring festival celebrating the giving of the law to Moses on Mount Sinai, features the recitation of Psalm 119.
The Christian Pentecost celebrating the gift of the Holy Spirit occurs on the same day as the giving of the law.
Psalm 119 states everything that can or needs to be said about the law. Like Psalm 1, it begins with the blessing of the person who follows the directions that God gives in His law.
Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the Lord.
Happy are those who keep his decrees, who seek him with their whole heart,
who also do no wrong but walk in his ways. (Psalm 119:1-3)
Verse Before the Gospel – 2 Corinthians 6:2b
“At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you” (2 Corinthians 6:2)
Gospel – Matthew 5:43-48
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’
But I say to you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous.
For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the gentiles do the same?” (Matthew 5:43-47).
Looking back to God’s message from Deuteronomy, we understand that true love starts with our minds, choices, and entire being.
My wife and I are attempting to apply Jesus’ message of love to the chaotic political environment of our day. We have committed to not looking at social media and to refrain from any negative comments about what is going on in the world.
We have found this to be quite freeing. It allows us to focus on our own lives and the things we can control.
By removing ourselves from the constant bombardment of news and opinions, we have been able to find more peace and happiness in our daily lives.
Possibly, you may want to consider taking a break from social media and negative commentary. You may find it to be a refreshing and rewarding experience.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed Jacob’s interactions with his father regarding the blessing intended for Esau, as described in Genesis 27.
Real Voices 