Daily Office Readings for Thursday, September 24, 2026
Psalm 105; Hosea 5:8–6:6; Acts 21:27–36; Luke 6:1–11
Proper 21, Book of Common Prayer
“He is mindful of his covenant forever, of the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations.”
—Psalm 105:8
Today’s reflection grew out of a conversation between two pilgrims—Rex and Will—as we walked together through the Daily Office readings.
Rex: Psalm 105 reminds us to remember God’s faithfulness and covenant. We can look back at what God has done and allow that memory to strengthen our trust.
Will: What does covenant mean to you?
Rex: It means choosing not just for today, but for the future. When that covenant is made before God, it carries an even deeper meaning. We are inviting God into the love we are building and asking God to help us keep our hearts and promises true.
It is not merely knowing about God. It is remembering, trusting, loving, and living faithfully in relationship with God and with one another.
After reflecting on today’s readings, I feel they all come together beautifully. They remind me to remember God’s faithfulness, trust God even when I cannot see the whole path, and seek God with a sincere heart.
Hosea reminds us that God desires love and genuine devotion. Acts reminds us that God remains present even when the path becomes difficult. In Luke, Jesus shows us that mercy, compassion, and doing good are at the heart of our faith.
For me, the message is simple and beautiful: remember what God has done, trust God with what is ahead, love sincerely, and let that love flow through us to others. When we live that way, our faith becomes more than words. It becomes something we carry in our hearts and show through our lives.
Will: In ancient times, making a covenant was sometimes described as “cutting a covenant.” An animal was divided, and those making the promise walked between the pieces. It was a solemn way of saying, “If I break this promise, let what happened to this animal happen to me.”
No wonder marriage is such a powerful sign of covenant relationship. Genesis 2 describes two lives being joined and becoming one. Jesus teaches, “What God has joined together, let no one separate.” Marriage can become a mirror of the faithful and enduring relationship God desires with us.
Rex: Luke’s Sabbath stories echo that same principle. Jesus demonstrates that God’s law is not meant to extinguish compassion. Mercy and faithful love reveal the heart behind the commandment.
That sentence brings all four readings together:
Mercy and faithful love reveal the heart behind the commandment.
Covenant Is Relationship
Covenants concern personal bonds, loyalty, identity, and enduring relationship. God established covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. Each revealed God’s desire to draw humanity into faithful relationship. Today, we live within the New Covenant, through which Christ invites us into union with God.
Psalm 105 celebrates the God who remembers the covenant from generation to generation. God remains faithful so that the people may “keep his statutes and observe his laws.”
Yet, as Romans 1 describes, humanity repeatedly takes God’s truth and changes it into a lie. We become more concerned about interpretation and ritual than relationship. We preserve the outward form of religion while losing the love that form was intended to nurture.
Steadfast Love, Not Empty Religion
Hosea describes the people’s love as “like a morning cloud, like the dew that goes away early.” Their religious practices continued, but their steadfast love had disappeared.
God tells them plainly:
“For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”
—Hosea 6:6
Isaiah begins with the same message. God does not desire sacrifices, burnt offerings, assemblies, or prayers disconnected from the way people live. God calls the people to cease doing evil, learn to do good, seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, and plead for the widow.
God does not reject worship. God rejects worship that does not lead us into loving relationships with God and one another.
When Religion Loses Mercy
In Acts, concern for the purity of the Temple becomes more important than truth, mercy, or Paul’s life. An accusation becomes a lie, and religious devotion becomes mob violence.
In Luke, the disciples are condemned for gathering grain on the Sabbath. Jesus is then watched closely to see whether he will heal a man with a withered hand. Once again, interpretation and ritual are valued above hunger, compassion, and healing.
Jesus declares, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.” He then asks whether it is lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to destroy it.
The Temple, the Sabbath, the sacrifices, and the law were never intended to replace relationship with God. They were meant to help people live faithfully within that relationship.
Living Within the New Covenant
The covenant is not merely a doctrine to interpret, a ritual to perform, or a promise spoken long ago. It is a relationship to be lived.
God calls us into union with God, and that union becomes visible in how we relate to one another. Jesus summarized covenant life simply: love God with your whole being and love your neighbor as yourself.
God remembers the covenant. God remains faithful. The question is whether we will exchange that truth for empty religion—or live within the New Covenant by loving faithfully, showing mercy, seeking justice, and healing what is wounded.
Two pilgrims, sharing the Sacred Writings and listening to one another, discovered the same truth: covenant is more than a promise spoken once. It is a relationship lived faithfully—today, tomorrow, and along every mile of the road ahead.
A Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ,
draw us into union with you.
Teach us to remember your faithfulness,
trust you with what lies ahead,
and live in steadfast love.
Teach us to show mercy,
seek justice,
and place compassion above empty religion.
Heal what is wounded within us,
and let your covenant love flow through us to others.
Amen.
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