Daily Readings - Wed Jun 06 2018

¹Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, in accord with the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus²to Timothy, most beloved son. Grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord³I give thanks to God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a pure conscience. For without ceasing I hold the remembrance of you in my prayers, night and day⁶Because of this, I admonish you to revive the grace of God, which is in you by the imposition of my hands⁷For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of virtue, and of love, and of self-restraint⁸And so, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner. Instead, collaborate with the Gospel in accord with the virtue of God⁹who has freed us and has called us to his holy vocation, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus, before the ages of time¹⁰And this has now been made manifest by the illumination of our Savior Jesus Christ, who certainly has destroyed death, and who has also illuminated life and incorruption through the Gospel¹¹Of this Gospel, I have been appointed a preacher, and an Apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles¹²For this reason, I also suffer these things. But I am not confounded. For I know in whom I have believed, and I am certain that he has the power to preserve what was entrusted to me, unto that day

Mark

Chapter 12

¹⁸And the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, approached him. And they questioned him, saying¹⁹"Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if any man’s brother will have died and left behind a wife, and not have left behind sons, his brother should take his wife to himself and should raise up offspring for his brother²⁰So then, there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and he died without leaving behind offspring²¹And the second took her, and he died. And neither did he leave behind offspring. And the third acted similarly²²And in like manner, each of the seven received her and did not leave behind offspring. Last of all, the woman also died²³Therefore, in the resurrection, when they will rise again, to which of them will she be a wife? For each of the seven had her as wife.²⁴And Jesus responded by saying to them: "But have you not gone astray, by knowing neither the scriptures, nor the power of God²⁵For when they will be resurrected from the dead, they shall neither marry, nor be given in marriage, but they are like the Angels in heaven²⁶But concerning the dead who rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, how God spoke to him from the bush, saying: ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?²⁷He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Therefore, you have gone far astray.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two powerful messages that guide us in our faith journey. The first reading from 2 Timothy urges us to embrace our calling with courage and trust in God's grace. Paul reminds Timothy, and us, that God's power is not about fear but about virtue, love, and self-discipline. This letter, written in a time of persecution, encourages steadfastness in our faith, knowing that our ultimate hope is in eternal life through Christ. The Gospel from Mark presents a dialogue between Jesus and the Sadducees, who question the concept of resurrection. Jesus responds by clarifying that life after death transcends earthly marriage, drawing on the example of Moses to affirm that God is the God of the living. This exchange emphasizes trusting in God's plan beyond our current understanding, highlighting the promise of eternal life. Both readings intertwine themes of faith and trust in God's power. Paul's exhortation to Timothy and Jesus' teaching on resurrection remind us to face life's challenges with courage and hope. They encourage us to trust in God's grace and promises, understanding that our true home is in eternal life with Him. Let us live each day with faith, knowing that God's power guides us through all trials, and our ultimate hope is in His eternal embrace.