Daily Catholic Mass Readings for March 18, 2018
First Reading: Jeremiah 31.31-34
31Behold, the days are approaching, says the Lord, when I will form a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah32not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers, in the day when I took them by the hand, so as to lead them away from the land of Egypt, the covenant which they nullified, though I was the ruler over them, says the Lord33But this will be the covenant that I will form with the house of Israel, after those days, says the Lord: I will give my law to their inner most being, and I will write it upon their heart. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people34And they will no longer teach, a man his neighbor, and a man his brother, saying: ‘Know the Lord.’ For all will know me, from the littlest of them even to the greatest, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will no longer remember their sin
Psalm 51
1Unto the end. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he went to Bathsheba. Be merciful to me, O God, according to your great mercy. And, according to the plentitude of your compassion, wipe out my iniquity2Wash me once again from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin3For I know my iniquity, and my sin is ever before me4Against you only have I sinned, and I have done evil before your eyes. And so, you are justified in your words, and you will prevail when you give judgment5For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sinfulness did my mother conceive me6For behold, you have loved truth. The obscure and hidden things of your wisdom, you have manifested to me7You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed. You will wash me, and I will be made whiter than snow8In my hearing, you will grant gladness and rejoicing. And the bones that have been humbled will exult9Turn your face away from my sins, and erase all my iniquities10Create a clean heart in me, O God. And renew an upright spirit within my inmost being11Do not cast me away from your face; and do not take your Holy Spirit from me12Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and confirm me with an unsurpassed spirit13I will teach the unjust your ways, and the impious will be converted to you14Free me from blood, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will extol your justice15O Lord, you will open my lips, and my mouth will announce your praise16For if you had desired sacrifice, I would certainly have given it, but with holocausts, you will not be delighted17A crushed spirit is a sacrifice to God. A contrite and humbled heart, O God, you will not spurn18Act kindly, Lord, in your good will toward Zion, so that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up19Then you will accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations, and holocausts. Then they will lay calves upon your altar
Second Reading: Hebrews 5.7-9
7It is Christ who, in the days of his flesh, with a strong cry and tears, offered prayers and supplications to the One who was able to save him from death, and who was heard because of his reverence8And although, certainly, he is the Son of God, he learned obedience by the things that he suffered9And having reached his consummation, he was made, for all who are obedient to him, the cause of eternal salvation
Gospel: John 12.20-33
20Now there were certain Gentiles among those who went up so that they might worship on the feast day21Therefore, these approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and they petitioned him, saying: "Sir, we want to see Jesus.22Philip went and told Andrew. Next, Andrew and Philip told Jesus23But Jesus answered them by saying: "The hour arrives when the Son of man shall be glorified24Amen, amen, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies25it remains alone. But if it dies, it yields much fruit. Whoever loves his life, will lose it. And whoever hates his life in this world, preserves it unto eternal life26If anyone serves me, let him follow me. And where I am, there too my minister shall be. If anyone has served me, my Father will honor him27Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say? Father, save me from this hour? But it is for this reason that I came to this hour28Father, glorify your name!" And then a voice came from heaven, "I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.29Therefore, the crowd, which was standing near and had heard it, said that it was like thunder. Others were saying, "An Angel was speaking with him.30Jesus responded and said: "This voice came, not for my sake, but for your sakes31Now is the judgment of the world. Now will the prince of this world be cast out32And when I have been lifted up from the earth, I will draw all things to myself.33(Now he said this, signifying what kind of death he would die.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound reflections on covenant, obedience, and the transformative power of self-giving love. The first reading from Jeremiah speaks of a new covenant, one that will be written not on stone tablets but on the hearts of God’s people. This covenant is not about external rules but an interior transformation, where God’s law becomes the very fabric of who we are. The second reading from Hebrews deepens this theme by showing us Jesus, who, though the Son of God, learned obedience through suffering. His prayers, offered with tears and cries, were heard because of his reverence, and through his obedience, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who follow him. In the Gospel, John presents Jesus in the moments leading up to his Passion, where he speaks of his glorification through death. Jesus compares himself to a grain of wheat that must fall to the ground and die to bear fruit, teaching us that true life comes through self-sacrifice. The voice from heaven confirms that this moment of glorification is not just for Jesus but for the world, as it marks the defeat of sin and the drawing of all people to himself.
These readings are deeply interconnected. Jeremiah’s promise of a new covenant finds its fulfillment in Jesus, who, as the new Adam, establishes a covenant of love and obedience. The letter to the Hebrews shows us how Jesus, in his humanity, embraced this covenant through his suffering, making him the perfect mediator between God and humanity. In John’s Gospel, we see the culmination of this covenant in Jesus’ willingness to lay down his life, an act that draws all people to himself and defeats the power of sin. Together, these readings reveal that God’s plan of salvation is rooted in love, obedience, and self-giving.
As we reflect on these readings, we are invited to examine our own lives. Are we living according to the new covenant, with God’s law written on our hearts? Do we embrace obedience as a path to union with God, even when it involves suffering? Are we willing to let go of our own desires and ambitions, like the grain of wheat, so that we might bear fruit for others? Jesus’ words remind us that true greatness is found in service and sacrifice. In a world often driven by self-interest and division, we are called to be witnesses of a different way of life—one rooted in love, humility, and trust in God’s plan. Let us ask for the grace to follow Jesus, to embrace the cross, and to allow our lives to be transformed by the power of his love.