Daily Readings - Tue Mar 20 2018

First Reading - Numbers 21.4-9

⁴Then they set out from mount Hor, by the way that leads to the Red Sea, to circle around the land of Edom. And the people began to tire of their journey and hardships⁵And speaking against God and Moses, they said: "Why did you lead us away from Egypt, so as to die in the wilderness? Bread is lacking; there are no waters. Our soul is now nauseous over this very light food.⁶For this reason, the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, which wounded or killed many of them⁷And so they went to Moses, and they said: "We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray, so that he may take away these serpents from us." And Moses prayed for the people⁸And the Lord said to him: "Make a bronze serpent, and place it as a sign. Whoever, having been struck, gazes upon it, shall live.⁹Therefore, Moses made a bronze serpent, and he placed it as a sign. When those who had been struck gazed upon it, they were healed

Gospel - John 8.21-30

John

Chapter 8

²¹Therefore, Jesus again spoke to them: "I am going, and you shall seek me. And you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you are not able to go.²²And so the Jews said, "Is he going to kill himself, for he said: ‘Where I am going, you are not able to go?’ ²³And he said to them: "You are from below. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world²⁴Therefore, I said to you, that you will die in your sins. For if you will not believe that I am, you will die in your sin.²⁵And so they said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them: "The Beginning, who is also speaking to you²⁶I have much to say about you and to judge. But he who sent me is true. And what I have heard from him, this I speak within the world.²⁷And they did not realize that he was calling God his Father²⁸And so Jesus said to them: "When you will have lifted up the Son of man, then you shall realize that I am, and that I do nothing of myself, but just as the Father has taught me, so do I speak²⁹And he who sent me is with me, and he has not abandoned me alone. For I always do what is pleasing to him.³⁰As he was speaking these things, many believed in him

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on faith, redemption, and the divine plan. The first reading from Numbers recounts the Israelites' journey through the wilderness, where their impatience and ingratitude lead to a trial involving fiery serpents. Moses intercedes, and God provides a symbol of salvation—the bronze serpent—offering healing to those who gaze upon it. This story highlights the Israelites' struggle with faith amidst hardship and God's merciful response. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to the Jews about His divine origin and destiny, emphasizing that without belief in Him, they will remain in sin. He refers to Himself as the Beginning and hints at His crucifixion, where He will be "lifted up," a pivotal moment for salvation. This passage underscores Jesus' identity as the Son of God and the necessity of faith for eternal life. These readings connect through the theme of salvation. The bronze serpent in Numbers prefigures Jesus' crucifixion, where looking upon Him brings spiritual healing. Just as the Israelites needed faith to be healed, we must trust in Jesus to save us from sin. In our daily lives, we face challenges that test our faith, but through these readings, we are reminded to trust in God's plan and seek redemption through Jesus. The moral lesson is clear: faith in God's providence and turning to Jesus in times of struggle lead us to true healing and salvation.