Daily Readings - Wed Apr 25 2018

First Reading - 1 Peter 5.5b-14

⁵Similarly, young persons, be subject to the elders. And infuse all humility among one another, for God resists the arrogant, but to the humble he gives grace⁶And so, be humbled under the powerful hand of God, so that he may exalt you in the time of visitation⁷Cast all your cares upon him, for he takes care of you⁸Be sober and vigilant. For your adversary, the devil, is like a roaring lion, traveling around and seeking those whom he might devour⁹Resist him by being strong in faith, being aware that the same passions afflict those who are your brothers in the world¹⁰But the God of all grace, who has called us to his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will himself perfect, confirm, and establish us, after a brief time of suffering¹¹To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen¹²I have written briefly, through Sylvanus, whom I consider to be a faithful brother to you, begging and testifying that this is the true grace of God, in which you have been established¹³The Church which is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you, as does my son, Mark¹⁴Greet one another with a holy kiss. Grace be to all of you who are in Christ Jesus. Amen

Gospel - Mark 16.15-20

Mark

Chapter 16

¹⁵And he said to them: "Go forth to the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature¹⁶Whoever will have believed and been baptized will be saved. Yet truly, whoever will not have believed will be condemned¹⁷Now these signs will accompany those who believe. In my name, they shall cast out demons. They will speak in new languages¹⁸They will take up serpents, and, if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them. They shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they will be well.¹⁹And indeed, the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and he sits at the right hand of God²⁰Then they, setting out, preached everywhere, with the Lord cooperating and confirming the word by the accompanying signs

Sermon

In today's readings, we explore themes of humility, trust in God, and the call to share the Gospel. The first reading from 1 Peter encourages believers to embrace humility and cast their cares on God, trusting in His providence. It reminds us that while we face challenges, including the devil's temptations, God's grace will sustain and strengthen us. The second reading from Mark's Gospel is the Great Commission, where Jesus commands His disciples to spread the Gospel to all creation, promising that signs of faith will accompany their efforts, such as healing and casting out demons. The context of 1 Peter is likely a time of persecution for early Christians, urging them to remain steadfast and humble. Mark's passage concludes his Gospel, emphasizing the disciples' mission post-resurrection. Together, these readings highlight the dual aspects of Christian life: internal virtues like humility and trust, and external actions like preaching and ministering. Applying this to our lives, we are called to remain humble and trust God with our anxieties, while actively sharing our faith. The moral lesson is clear: a balanced Christian life combines inner humility with outward action. Let us embrace both, trusting God's grace and actively spreading His love, just as the early disciples did.