Daily Readings - Mon May 24 2021

First Reading - Genesis 3.9-15, 20 or Acts 1.12-14

⁹And the Lord God called Adam and said to him: "Where are you?¹⁰And he said, "I heard your voice in Paradise, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and so I hid myself.¹¹He said to him, "Then who told you that you were naked, if you have not eaten of the tree from which I instructed you that you should not eat?¹²And Adam said, "The woman, whom you gave to me as a companion, gave to me from the tree, and I ate.¹³And the Lord God said to the woman, "Why have you done this?" And she responded, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate.¹⁴And the Lord God said to the serpent: "Because you have done this, you are cursed among all living things, even the wild beasts of the earth. Upon your breast shall you travel, and the ground shall you eat, all the days of your life¹⁵I will put enmities between you and the woman, between your offspring and her offspring. She will crush your head, and you will lie in wait for her heel.²⁰And Adam called the name of his wife, ‘Eve,’ because she was the mother of all the living

Acts

Chapter 1

¹²Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mountain, which is called Olivet, which is next to Jerusalem, within a Sabbath day’s journey¹³And when they had entered into the cenacle, they ascended to the place where Peter and John, James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Jude of James, were staying¹⁴All these were persevering with one accord in prayer with the women, and with Mary, the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers

John

Chapter 19

²⁵And standing beside the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, and Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene²⁶Therefore, when Jesus had seen his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold your son.²⁷Next, he said to the disciple, "Behold your mother." And from that hour, the disciple accepted her as his own

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the human condition, sin, and redemption. In the first reading from Genesis, we hear the story of Adam and Eve after they have eaten the forbidden fruit. Their fear and shame lead them to hide from God, and when questioned, they shift blame—to the serpent, to each other, and ultimately to God himself. This passage reveals the fundamental human tendency to avoid responsibility for our actions and the brokenness that sin introduces into relationships—between humanity and God, between man and woman, and between humanity and creation. The curse that follows is not just punishment but also a reminder of the consequences of sin and the ongoing struggle between good and evil. In the Gospel, we see a very different scene. At the foot of the cross, Jesus, in his final moments, entrusts his mother to the care of the beloved disciple. This act of love and responsibility stands in stark contrast to the self-centeredness of Adam and Eve. While they were consumed by fear and blame-shifting, Jesus, even in his suffering, shows concern for others and creates a new family bound together by love and trust. This moment on Calvary is not just a personal gesture but a profound revelation of God’s plan to restore humanity and create a new kind of relationship—one rooted in self-giving love rather than self-preservation. These readings remind us that sin isolates and divides, but love unites and heals. In our own lives, we are often tempted to shift blame or hide from our failures, just as Adam and Eve did. But Jesus shows us a different way—a way of taking responsibility, loving without condition, and trusting in God’s plan. Let us ask for the grace to imitate Jesus’ selfless love and to build relationships that reflect the unity and trust he modeled, even in the face of suffering.