Daily Readings - Sat Apr 11 2020

¹In the beginning, God created heaven and earth²⁶And he said: "Let us make Man to our image and likeness. And let him rule over the fish of the sea, and the flying creatures of the air, and the wild beasts, and the entire earth, and every animal that moves on the earth.²⁷And God created man to his own image; to the image of God he created him; male and female, he created them²⁸And God blessed them, and he said, "Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and the flying creatures of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.²⁹And God said: "Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant upon the earth, and all the trees that have in themselves the ability to sow their own kind, to be food for you³⁰and for all the animals of the land, and for all the flying things of the air, and for everything that moves upon the earth and in which there is a living soul, so that they may have these on which to feed." And so it became³¹And God saw everything that he had made. And they were very good. And it became evening and morning, the sixth day

Romans

Chapter 6

³Do you not know that those of us who have been baptized in Christ Jesus have been baptized into his death⁴For through baptism we have been buried with him into death, so that, in the manner that Christ rose from the dead, by the glory of the Father, so may we also walk in the newness of life⁵For if we have been planted together, in the likeness of his death, so shall we also be, in the likeness of his resurrection⁶For we know this: that our former selves have been crucified together with him, so that the body which is of sin may be destroyed, and moreover, so that we may no longer serve sin⁷For he who has died has been justified from sin⁸Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live together with Christ⁹For we know that Christ, in rising up from the dead, can no longer die: death no longer has dominion over him¹⁰For in as much as he died for sin, he died once. But in as much as he lives, he lives for God¹¹And so, you should consider yourselves to be certainly dead to sin, and to be living for God in Christ Jesus our Lord

Matthew

Chapter 28

¹Now on the morning of the Sabbath, when it began to grow light on the first Sabbath, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the sepulcher²And behold, a great earthquake occurred. For an Angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and as he approached, he rolled back the stone and sat down on it³Now his appearance was like lightning, and his vestment was like snow⁴Then, out of fear of him, the guards were terrified, and they became like dead men⁵Then the Angel responded by saying to the women: "Do not be afraid. For I know that you are seeking Jesus, who was crucified⁶He is not here. For he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where the Lord was placed⁷And then, go quickly, and tell his disciples that he has risen. And behold, he will precede you to Galilee. There you shall see him. Lo, I have told you beforehand.⁸And they went out of the tomb quickly, with fear and in great joy, running to announce it to his disciples⁹And behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Hail." But they drew near and took hold of his feet, and they adored him¹⁰Then Jesus said to them: "Do not be afraid. Go, announce it to my brothers, so that they may go to Galilee. There they shall see me.

Sermon

The readings today take us on a journey from creation to resurrection, inviting us to reflect on our identity, purpose, and ultimate hope. In the first reading from Genesis, we hear the beautiful account of God creating humanity in his own image and likeness. This passage reminds us of our inherent dignity and the special role we have as stewards of creation. God’s words, “Let us make man to our image and likeness,” reveal his intimate love for us and the high esteem in which he holds us. This creation story is not just about the past; it is a timeless reminder of who we are and how we are called to live. The second reading from Romans and the Gospel from Matthew deepen this reflection by revealing how our identity and purpose are transformed through Christ. In Romans, Paul explains that through baptism, we have been buried with Christ and risen to new life. This means we are no longer bound by sin but are called to live as children of God, walking in the “newness of life.” The Gospel then brings us to the culmination of this transformation: the resurrection of Jesus. The empty tomb and the angel’s words, “He has risen, just as he said,” are a powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness and the ultimate victory over sin and death. The women’s fear and joy, and their encounter with the risen Jesus, show us that the resurrection is not just an event of the past but a living reality that transforms our lives today. These readings invite us to live with hope and purpose. Just as God entrusted humanity with the care of creation, he now calls us to live as new creations, bearing witness to his love and resurrection. In our daily lives, this means rejecting sin and embracing the freedom and joy of living for God. Let us remember that we are not just part of a creation story but are participants in the ongoing story of redemption. May we, like the women at the tomb, run to share the Good News with others, and may we, like the disciples, go to Galilee—back to our own places of mission—to encounter Christ anew and live as his followers.