Daily Readings - Sat Apr 20 2019

¹In the beginning, God created heaven and earth²⁶And he said: "Let us make Man to our image and likeness. And let him rule over the fish of the sea, and the flying creatures of the air, and the wild beasts, and the entire earth, and every animal that moves on the earth.²⁷And God created man to his own image; to the image of God he created him; male and female, he created them²⁸And God blessed them, and he said, "Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and the flying creatures of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.²⁹And God said: "Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant upon the earth, and all the trees that have in themselves the ability to sow their own kind, to be food for you³⁰and for all the animals of the land, and for all the flying things of the air, and for everything that moves upon the earth and in which there is a living soul, so that they may have these on which to feed." And so it became³¹And God saw everything that he had made. And they were very good. And it became evening and morning, the sixth day

Romans

Chapter 6

³Do you not know that those of us who have been baptized in Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death⁴For through baptism we have been buried with him into death, so that, in the manner that Christ rose from the dead, by the glory of the Father, so may we also walk in the newness of life⁵For if we have been planted together, in the likeness of his death, so shall we also be, in the likeness of his resurrection⁶For we know this: that our former selves have been crucified together with him, so that the body which is of sin may be destroyed, and moreover, so that we may no longer serve sin⁷For he who has died has been justified from sin⁸Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live together with Christ⁹For we know that Christ, in rising up from the dead, can no longer die: death no longer has dominion over him¹⁰For in as much as he died for sin, he died once. But in as much as he lives, he lives for God¹¹And so, you should consider yourselves to be certainly dead to sin, and to be living for God in Christ Jesus our Lord

Mark

Chapter 16

¹And when the Sabbath had passed, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought aromatic spices, so that when they arrived they could anoint Jesus²And very early in the morning, on the first of the Sabbaths, they went to the tomb, the sun having now risen³And they said to one another, "Who will roll back the stone for us, away from the entrance of the tomb?⁴And looking, they saw that the stone was rolled back. For certainly it was very large⁵And upon entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, covered with a white robe, and they were astonished⁶And he said to them, "Do not become frightened. You are seeking Jesus of Nazareth, the Crucified One. He has risen. He is not here. Behold, the place where they laid him⁷But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you into Galilee. There you shall see him, just as he told you.⁸But they, going out, fled from the tomb. For trembling and fear had overwhelmed them. And they said nothing to anyone. For they were afraid

Sermon

In today's readings, we journey from creation to resurrection, exploring themes of identity, transformation, and divine promise. Genesis reminds us that we are created in God's image, entrusted with stewardship of the earth, highlighting our inherent dignity and purpose. This creation narrative sets the stage for understanding our role in God's plan. The second reading from Romans bridges creation with redemption, explaining that through baptism, we die to sin and rise anew in Christ. This spiritual rebirth mirrors Christ's resurrection, as described in Mark's Gospel, where the empty tomb signifies victory over death. The women's fear and silence at the tomb contrast with the triumph of the resurrection, inviting us to trust in God's power even in uncertain times. In daily life, these readings urge us to embrace our divine image, live transformed by baptism, and find hope in God's promises. The resurrection calls us to purposeful living, trusting that God's power can overcome any darkness. Let us carry this hope forward, living as new creations in Christ, with faith and trust in His enduring promises.