Daily Readings - Sun Mar 07 2021

¹And the Lord spoke all these words²"I am the Lord your God, who led you away from the land of Egypt, out of the house of servitude³You shall not have strange gods before me⁷You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain. For the Lord will not hold harmless one who takes the name of the Lord his God falsely⁸Remember that you are to sanctify the day of the Sabbath¹²Honor your father and your mother, so that you may have a long life upon the land, which the Lord your God will give to you¹³You shall not murder¹⁴You shall not commit adultery¹⁵You shall not steal¹⁶You shall not speak false testimony against your neighbor¹⁷You shall not covet the house of your neighbor; neither shall you desire his wife, nor male servant, nor female servant, nor ox, nor donkey, nor anything that is his.

1 Corinthians

Chapter 1

¹⁸For the Word of the Cross is certainly foolishness to those who are perishing. But to those who have been saved, that is, to us, it is the power of God²²For the Jews ask for signs, and the Greeks seek wisdom²³But we are preaching Christ crucified. Certainly, to the Jews, this is a scandal, and to the Gentiles, this is foolishness²⁴But to those who have been called, Jews as well as Greeks, the Christ is the virtue of God and the wisdom of God²⁵For what is foolishness to God is considered wise by men, and that which is weakness to God is considered strong by men

John

Chapter 2

¹³And the Passover of the Jews was near, and so Jesus ascended to Jerusalem¹⁴And he found, sitting in the temple, sellers of oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers¹⁵And when he had made something like a whip out of little cords, he drove them all out of the temple, including the sheep and the oxen. And he poured out the brass coins of the moneychangers, and he overturned their tables¹⁶And to those who were selling doves, he said: "Take these things out of here, and do not make my Father’s house into a house of commerce.¹⁷And truly, his disciples were reminded that it is written: "Zeal for your house consumes me.¹⁸Then the Jews responded and said to him, "What sign can you show to us, that you may do these things?¹⁹Jesus responded and said to them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.²⁰Then the Jews said, "This temple has been built up over forty-six years, and you will raise it up in three days?²¹Yet he was speaking about the Temple of his body²²Therefore, when he had resurrected from the dead, his disciples were reminded that he had said this, and they believed in the Scriptures and in the word that Jesus had spoken²³Now while he was at Jerusalem during the Passover, on the day of the feast, many trusted in his name, seeing his signs that he was accomplishing²⁴But Jesus did not trust himself to them, because he himself had knowledge of all persons²⁵and because he had no need of anyone to offer testimony about a man. For he knew what was within a man

Sermon

In today's readings, we journey through three significant texts that weave together themes of divine guidance, wisdom, and redemption. The first reading from Exodus presents the Ten Commandments, a cornerstone of moral guidance given to the Israelites, establishing a covenant with God. These commandments are not just rules but a blueprint for a life aligned with God's will, fostering a community of love, respect, and justice. Paul's letter to the Corinthians shifts our focus to the nature of true wisdom. He contrasts human wisdom with God's, highlighting the crucified Christ as the epitome of divine wisdom. What seems foolish to the world—sacrificial love and humility—is, in fact, the power of God. This reminds us that our understanding is limited and that true wisdom comes from embracing the cross, where love triumphs over human folly. In John's Gospel, Jesus cleanses the temple, asserting His divine authority. His actions and words point to His resurrection, the ultimate act of love and redemption. This narrative invites us to reflect on our own temples—our hearts and lives—urging us to purify them, making space for God's presence. Just as Jesus transformed the temple, we are called to be transformed by His love and wisdom. In our daily lives, let us live by the Ten Commandments, not as constraints, but as guides toward a virtuous life. Let us embrace the wisdom of the cross, trusting in God's plan even when it seems perplexing. And let us allow Jesus to cleanse our hearts, making them temples of His love and light. Through this, we embody the wisdom and authority of Christ, living as His disciples in a world that often seeks fleeting wisdom. May we find strength in His resurrection, knowing that true transformation comes from His love and grace.