Daily Readings - Sat Apr 25 2020
1 Peter
5Similarly, young persons, be subject to the elders. And infuse all humility among one another, for God resists the arrogant, but to the humble he gives grace6And so, be humbled under the powerful hand of God, so that he may exalt you in the time of visitation7Cast all your cares upon him, for he takes care of you8Be sober and vigilant. For your adversary, the devil, is like a roaring lion, traveling around and seeking those whom he might devour9Resist him by being strong in faith, being aware that the same passions afflict those who are your brothers in the world10But the God of all grace, who has called us to his eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will himself perfect, confirm, and establish us, after a brief time of suffering11To him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen12I have written briefly, through Sylvanus, whom I consider to be a faithful brother to you, begging and testifying that this is the true grace of God, in which you have been established13The Church which is in Babylon, elect together with you, greets you, as does my son, Mark14Greet one another with a holy kiss. Grace be to all of you who are in Christ Jesus. Amen
Mark
15And he said to them: "Go forth to the whole world and preach the Gospel to every creature16Whoever will have believed and been baptized will be saved. Yet truly, whoever will not have believed will be condemned17Now these signs will accompany those who believe. In my name, they shall cast out demons. They will speak in new languages18They will take up serpents, and, if they drink anything deadly, it will not harm them. They shall lay their hands upon the sick, and they will be well.19And indeed, the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and he sits at the right hand of God20Then they, setting out, preached everywhere, with the Lord cooperating and confirming the word by the accompanying signs
Sermon
In today's readings, we hear from 1 Peter and the Gospel of Mark, both of which offer profound insights into the Christian life. The first reading from 1 Peter encourages believers to embrace humility and trust in God's providence, especially in the face of challenges. Peter reminds us that God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble, urging us to cast our anxieties on Him. The passage also warns us to be vigilant against the devil, who seeks to devour the faithful, and assures us that our suffering is temporary, leading to eternal glory.
In the Gospel, Mark recounts Jesus' final command to the disciples before His ascension. Jesus commissions them to preach the Gospel to all creation, promising salvation to those who believe and are baptized. He also assures them that signs will accompany their missionary efforts, such as healing the sick and casting out demons. This passage emphasizes the universal scope of the Gospel and the transformative power of faith.
Together, these readings remind us that our faith is both a personal and communal journey. Peter's letter calls us to humility and trust in God's care, while Mark's Gospel challenges us to share the Good News boldly. In our daily lives, we are invited to live with humility, trusting that God will lift us up in His time. At the same time, we are called to be witnesses of Christ's love, trusting that He will empower us to fulfill our mission. May we embrace both the humility and the boldness required to live out our faith authentically, knowing that God's grace will sustain us every step of the way.