Daily Catholic Mass Readings for March 31, 2020
First Reading: Numbers 21.4-9
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
Psalm 102
1The prayer of the pauper, when he was anxious, and so he poured out his petition in the sight of the Lord. O Lord, hear my prayer, and let my outcry reach you2Do not turn your face away from me. In whatever day that I am in trouble, incline your ear to me. In whatever day that I will call upon you, heed me quickly3For my days have faded away like smoke, and my bones have dried out like firewood4I have been cut down like hay, and my heart has withered, for I had forgotten to eat my bread5Before the voice of my groaning, my bone has adhered to my flesh6I have become like a pelican in solitude. I have become like a night raven in a house7I have kept vigil, and I have become like a solitary sparrow on a roof8All day long my enemies reproached me, and those who praised me swore oaths against me9For I chewed on ashes like bread, and I mixed weeping into my drink10By the face of your anger and indignation, you lifted me up and threw me down11My days have declined like a shadow, and I have dried out like hay12But you, O Lord, endure for eternity, and your memorial is from generation to generation13You will rise up and take pity on Zion, for it is time for its mercy, for the time has come14For its stones have pleased your servants, and they will take pity on its land15And the Gentiles will fear your name, O Lord, and all the kings of the earth your glory16For the Lord has built up Zion, and he will be seen in his glory17He has noticed the prayer of the humble, and he has not despised their petition18Let these things be written in another generation, and the people who will be created will praise the Lord19For he has gazed from his high sanctuary. From heaven, the Lord has beheld the earth20So may he hear the groans of those in shackles, in order that he may release the sons of the slain21So may they announce the name of the Lord in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem22while the people convene, along with kings, in order that they may serve the Lord23He responded to him in the way of his virtue: Declare to me the brevity of my days24Do not call me back in the middle of my days: your years are from generation to generation25In the beginning, O Lord, you founded the earth. And the heavens are the work of your hands26They will perish, but you remain. And all will grow old like a garment. And, like a blanket, you will change them, and they will be changed27Yet you are ever yourself, and your years will not decline28The sons of your servants will live, and their offspring will be guided aright in every age
Gospel: John 8.21-30
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.