Daily Readings - Mon Mar 23 2020
Isaiah
17For behold, I create the new heavens and the new earth. And the former things will not be in memory and will not enter into the heart18But you will be glad and exult, even forever, in these things that I create. For behold, I create Jerusalem as an exultation, and its people as a joy19And I will exult in Jerusalem, and I will rejoice in my people. And neither a voice of weeping, nor a voice of outcry, will be heard in her anymore20There will no longer be an infant of only a few days there, nor an elder who does not complete his days. For a mere child dies at a hundred years of age, and a sinner of a hundred years will be accursed21And they will build houses, and will inhabit them. And they will plant vineyards, and will eat their fruits
John
43Then, after two days, he departed from there, and he traveled into Galilee44For Jesus himself offered testimony that a Prophet has no honor in his own country45And so, when he had arrived in Galilee, the Galileans received him, because they had seen all that he had done at Jerusalem, in the day of the feast. For they also went to the feast day46Then he went again into Cana of Galilee, where he made water into wine. And there was a certain ruler, whose son was sick at Capernaum47Since he had heard that Jesus came to Galilee from Judea, he sent to him and begged him to come down and heal his son. For he was beginning to die48Therefore, Jesus said to him, "Unless you have seen signs and wonders, you do not believe.49The ruler said to him, "Lord, come down before my son dies.50Jesus said to him, "Go, your son lives." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him, and so he went away51Then, as he was going down, his servants met him. And they reported to him, saying that his son was alive52Therefore, he asked them at which hour he had become better. And they said to him, "Yesterday, at the seventh hour, the fever left him.53Then the father realized that it was at the same hour that Jesus said to him, "Your son lives." And both he and his entire household believed54This next sign was the second that Jesus accomplished, after he had arrived in Galilee from Judea
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on hope, trust, and the transformative power of God’s presence in our lives. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a beautiful vision of a new creation where sorrow and pain are no more. This passage, written during a time of great exile and suffering for God’s people, offers a message of hope. Isaiah reminds us that God is always creating anew, bringing joy and life even in the midst of despair. The prophet’s words encourage us to trust in God’s promise of a future filled with peace and happiness, where the struggles of this world will fade away.
In the Gospel, we encounter a royal official whose son is gravely ill. Desperate for healing, he turns to Jesus, even though he is far away in Cana. Jesus’ response seems puzzling at first: he tells the man to go home, assuring him that his son lives. Remarkably, the official takes Jesus at his word and begins his journey home. Along the way, he learns that his son was healed at the very moment Jesus spoke those words. This story highlights the importance of faith and trust. The official didn’t see the miracle with his own eyes, but he believed in Jesus’ power and promise. His trust was rewarded, and not only was his son healed, but his entire household came to believe in Jesus.
These readings remind us that faith is not always about seeing signs or having all the answers. Like the royal official, we are called to trust in God’s word, even when the circumstances seem uncertain. Isaiah’s vision of a new creation encourages us to hold onto hope, knowing that God is always working to bring life and joy out of suffering. In our daily lives, we can apply this by trusting in God’s plan, even when we don’t see immediate results. Let us pray for the grace to have faith like the royal official, to believe in God’s promises, and to live with hope in the new creation He is always bringing about.