Daily Readings - Thu Apr 02 2020
Genesis
3Abram fell prone on his face4And God said to him: "I AM, and my covenant is with you, and you will be the father of many nations5No longer will your name be called Abram. But you will be called Abraham, for I have established you as the father of many nations6And I will cause you to increase very greatly, and I will set you among the nations, and kings will come forth from you7And I will establish my covenant between me and you, and with your offspring after you in their generations, by a perpetual covenant: to be God to you and to your offspring after you8And I will give to you and to your offspring, the land of your sojourn, all the land of Canaan, as an eternal possession, and I will be their God.9Again God said to Abraham: "And you therefore shall keep my covenant, and your offspring after you in their generations
John
51Amen, amen, I say to you, if anyone will have kept my word, he will not see death for eternity.52Therefore, the Jews said: "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham is dead, and the Prophets; and yet you say, ‘If anyone will have kept my word, he shall not taste death for eternity.53Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. So who do you make yourself to be?54Jesus responded: "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me. And you say about him that he is your God55And yet you have not known him. But I know him. And if I were to say that I do not know him, then I would be like you, a liar. But I know him, and I keep his word56Abraham, your father, rejoiced that he might see my day; he saw it and was glad.57And so the Jews said to him, "You have not yet reached fifty years, and you have seen Abraham?58Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham was made, I am.59Therefore, they took up stones to cast at him. But Jesus hid himself, and he departed from the temple
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of God’s promises and our relationship with Him. In the first reading from Genesis, we hear the story of Abram, whom God renames Abraham, promising to make him the father of many nations. This passage is a pivotal moment in the story of salvation, marking the establishment of the covenant between God and Abraham. God’s promise to Abraham is not just about land or descendants but about a perpetual covenant that will extend to his offspring and shape the course of human history. This covenant is a reminder of God’s faithfulness and His desire to be in relationship with His people.
In the Gospel, Jesus engages in a contentious dialogue with the Jews, who question His claim that keeping His word leads to eternal life. They challenge Him, referencing the patriarch Abraham and the prophets who have died, implying that Jesus’ claims surpass even their legacy. Jesus responds by asserting His divine identity, stating that He existed before Abraham and that Abraham rejoiced to see His day. This exchange underscores Jesus’ role as the fulfillment of God’s promises, including those made to Abraham. Jesus is not just a prophet or a teacher but the very source of eternal life, and His words carry the weight of divine authority.
These readings remind us that God’s promises are not limited by time or circumstance. Abraham’s faith in God’s covenant and Jesus’ assertion of His divine identity both point to the enduring nature of God’s love and truth. In our daily lives, we are called to trust in God’s promises, even when they seem impossible or when we face doubt or opposition. Like Abraham, we are invited to walk in faith, believing that God’s plan for us is greater than we can imagine. And like the Jews in the Gospel, we are challenged to recognize Jesus as the source of eternal life and to keep His word. May we, like Abraham, rejoice in the day of the Lord and may we, like Jesus, remain steadfast in our commitment to the Father’s will.