Daily Readings - Sat Nov 02 2019

¹But Job answered by saying²³Who will grant to me that my words may be written down? Who will grant to me that they may be inscribed in a book²⁴with an iron pen and a plate of lead, or else be carved in stone²⁵For I know that my Redeemer lives, and on the last day I will rise out of the earth²⁶And I will be enveloped again with my skin, and in my flesh I will see my God²⁷It is he whom I myself will see, and he whom my eyes will behold, and no other. This, my hope, has taken rest in my bosom

1 Corinthians

Chapter 15

²⁰But now Christ has risen again from the dead, as the first-fruits of those who sleep²¹For certainly, death came through a man. And so, the resurrection of the dead came through a ma²²And just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be brought to life²³but each one in his proper order: Christ, as the first-fruits, and next, those who are of Christ, who have believed in his advent

John

Chapter 12

²³But Jesus answered them by saying: "The hour arrives when the Son of man shall be glorified²⁴Amen, amen, I say to you, unless the grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies²⁵it remains alone. But if it dies, it yields much fruit. Whoever loves his life, will lose it. And whoever hates his life in this world, preserves it unto eternal life²⁶If anyone serves me, let him follow me. And where I am, there too my minister shall be. If anyone has served me, my Father will honor him

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter profound reflections on hope, resurrection, and self-sacrifice. The first reading from Job presents a man in the depths of suffering, yet unwavering in his faith. Job clings to the hope of a Redeemer who will one day raise him from the dead, a hope that transcends his current anguish. This passage, written in a time of great personal trial, highlights Job's unshakable trust in God's promise of redemption. In the second reading, St. Paul writes to the Corinthians about the resurrection of Christ, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep. Paul explains that just as death came through Adam, so too has the resurrection come through Christ. This passage serves as a theological foundation for our Christian hope, reminding us that our resurrection is inextricably linked to Christ's. We are called to live in the hope of eternal life, knowing that our ultimate destiny is to rise with Him. In the Gospel, Jesus uses the metaphor of the grain of wheat to teach about the necessity of self-sacrifice. He says that unless the wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit. This is both a call to discipleship and a reminder that true life comes through surrender. Jesus is not speaking of physical death but of dying to oneself—letting go of selfish desires and ambitions for the sake of following Him. These readings are deeply interconnected. Job's hope in the Redeemer, Paul's teaching on the resurrection, and Jesus' call to self-sacrifice all point to the same truth: our ultimate victory over death and sin comes through Christ. Job's faith in the midst of suffering, Paul's theological clarity, and Jesus' call to radical discipleship all invite us to live with eyes fixed on eternal life. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Where am I placing my hope? Am I willing to let go of my own desires and ambitions to follow Christ? The promise of resurrection is not just a future reality but a present one. By dying to ourselves daily, we can already begin to experience the fruitfulness of eternal life. May we, like Job, hold fast to our hope in the Redeemer, and may we, like Christ, be willing to surrender for the sake of others, trusting that in doing so, we will find true life.