Daily Readings - Thu Apr 11 2019
Genesis
3Abram fell prone on his face4And God said to him: "I AM, and my covenant is with you, and you will be the father of many nations5No longer will your name be called Abram. But you will be called Abraham, for I have established you as the father of many nations6And I will cause you to increase very greatly, and I will set you among the nations, and kings will come forth from you7And I will establish my covenant between me and you, and with your offspring after you in their generations, by a perpetual covenant: to be God to you and to your offspring after you8And I will give to you and to your offspring, the land of your sojourn, all the land of Canaan, as an eternal possession, and I will be their God.9Again God said to Abraham: "And you therefore shall keep my covenant, and your offspring after you in their generations
John
51Amen, amen, I say to you, if anyone will have kept my word, he will not see death for eternity.52Therefore, the Jews said: "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham is dead, and the Prophets; and yet you say, ‘If anyone will have kept my word, he shall not taste death for eternity.53Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. So who do you make yourself to be?54Jesus responded: "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me. And you say about him that he is your God55And yet you have not known him. But I know him. And if I were to say that I do not know him, then I would be like you, a liar. But I know him, and I keep his word56Abraham, your father, rejoiced that he might see my day; he saw it and was glad.57And so the Jews said to him, "You have not yet reached fifty years, and you have seen Abraham?58Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham was made, I am.59Therefore, they took up stones to cast at him. But Jesus hid himself, and he departed from the temple
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound moments of divine revelation and covenant. The first reading from Genesis describes God’s establishment of a covenant with Abram, renaming him Abraham, promising him countless descendants, and granting him the land of Canaan. This moment marks a pivotal point in salvation history, as Abraham becomes the father of faith for nations. The Gospel from John presents Jesus in a heated dialogue with the Jews, where He asserts that keeping His word leads to eternal life and boldly claims to have existed before Abraham, culminating in a dramatic attempt on His life.
These readings, though separated by centuries, are deeply connected. Abraham’s covenant with God prefigures the ultimate covenant fulfilled in Christ. While Abraham trusted in God’s promises, Jesus reveals Himself as the fulfillment of those promises, emphasizing that His words are life-giving and eternal. The Jews’ skepticism and hostility toward Jesus mirror the challenges of faith faced by Abraham, who trusted in God’s plan despite uncertainty.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to reflect on our own faith and trust in God’s promises. Like Abraham, we are called to embrace God’s plan, even when it seems improbable. Jesus’ words remind us that true life comes from adhering to His teachings and recognizing His divine identity. As we navigate life’s uncertainties, let us draw strength from Abraham’s faith and Christ’s assurances, trusting that God’s promises endure. May we, like Abraham, rejoice in the fulfillment of God’s plan and live as children of the covenant, guided by Christ’s eternal word.