God's tough words and God's hope

Today’s readings have many tough things to say. In the first reading (Isaiah 1:10-17), God gives an unhappy answer to certain people who are praying hard (albeit with blood on their hands and hearts).

When you spread out your hands,
I close my eyes to you;
Though you pray the more,
I will not listen.

In the Gospel (Matthew 10:34-11:1), our Lord warns of family strife and personal sacrifice.

Do not think that I have come
to bring peace upon the earth.
I have come to bring not peace but the sword.
For I have come to set
a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
and one’s enemies will be those of his household.

Whoever loves father or mother more than me
is not worthy of me,
and whoever loves son or daughter more than me
is not worthy of me;
and whoever does not take up his cross
and follow after me
is not worthy of me.

But these readings also bring hope.

In the first reading, God invites people to wash themselves clean of their sinfulness and to embrace justice and charity.

Wash yourselves clean!
Put away your misdeeds from before my eyes;
cease doing evil;
learn to do good.
Make justice your aim:
redress the wronged,
hear the orphan’s plea,
defend the widow.

In the Gospel, our Lord not only invites us to take up our own crosses, but he also assures us that even small acts of goodness are meaningful.

And whoever gives only a cup of cold water
to one of these little ones to drink
because he is a disciple–
amen, I say to you,
he will surely not lose his reward.

At the beginning of this week, by the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, may put aside the evil we do and may we take up our crosses and follow Christ in the big things and the little things of our lives.