Daily Readings - Tue Mar 31 2020
Numbers
4Then they set out from mount Hor, by the way that leads to the Red Sea, to circle around the land of Edom. And the people began to tire of their journey and hardships5And speaking against God and Moses, they said: "Why did you lead us away from Egypt, so as to die in the wilderness? Bread is lacking; there are no waters. Our soul is now nauseous over this very light food.6For this reason, the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, which wounded or killed many of them7And so they went to Moses, and they said: "We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray, so that he may take away these serpents from us." And Moses prayed for the people8And the Lord said to him: "Make a bronze serpent, and place it as a sign. Whoever, having been struck, gazes upon it, shall live.9Therefore, Moses made a bronze serpent, and he placed it as a sign. When those who had been struck gazed upon it, they were healed
John
21Therefore, Jesus again spoke to them: "I am going, and you shall seek me. And you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you are not able to go.22And so the Jews said, "Is he going to kill himself, for he said: ‘Where I am going, you are not able to go?’ 23And he said to them: "You are from below. I am from above. You are of this world. I am not of this world24Therefore, I said to you, that you will die in your sins. For if you will not believe that I am, you will die in your sin.25And so they said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to them: "The Beginning, who is also speaking to you26I have much to say about you and to judge. But he who sent me is true. And what I have heard from him, this I speak within the world.27And they did not realize that he was calling God his Father28And so Jesus said to them: "When you will have lifted up the Son of man, then you shall realize that I am, and that I do nothing of myself, but just as the Father has taught me, so do I speak29And he who sent me is with me, and he has not abandoned me alone. For I always do what is pleasing to him.30As he was speaking these things, many believed in him
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful stories that invite us to reflect on the nature of faith, sin, and redemption. The first reading from Numbers describes the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness, where they grow weary and complain against God and Moses. Their discontent leads to a dramatic consequence: fiery serpents are sent among them, inflicting suffering and death. Yet, in their repentance, Moses intercedes, and God provides a remedy—a bronze serpent raised on a pole. Those who gaze upon it are healed. This story reminds us that sin has consequences, but God’s mercy is always available to those who turn to Him in faith.
The Gospel reading from John presents a very different scenario. Jesus speaks to the Jews about His divine origin and destiny, saying, “I am going, and you will seek me, but you cannot come where I am going.” The Jews misunderstand His words, interpreting them as a threat of self-destruction. Jesus clarifies that He is from above, while they are from below, and that unless they believe in Him, they will die in their sins. This exchange highlights the spiritual divide between Jesus and those who refuse to accept His identity as the Son of God. Yet, even in this tension, Jesus offers a promise: when He is “lifted up,” they will come to recognize who He truly is.
Both readings invite us to reflect on our relationship with God and our willingness to trust in His plan. The Israelites in the wilderness had to look upon the bronze serpent to be healed, just as we must look to Jesus, lifted up on the cross, to find salvation. The readings remind us that faith is not always easy—it requires us to let go of our doubts and fears and to trust in God’s providence, even when His ways seem mysterious or difficult to understand. As we navigate the challenges of our own lives, let us turn to Jesus, the “Beginning” and the ultimate source of truth and life. By gazing upon Him with the eyes of faith, we, too, can find healing and redemption.