Daily Readings - Mon Apr 11 2022
Isaiah
1Behold my servant, I will uphold him, my elect, with him my soul is well-pleased. I have sent my Spirit upon him. He will offer judgment to the nations2He will not cry out, and he will not show favoritism to anyone; neither will his voice be heard abroad3The bruised reed he will not break, and the smoldering wick he will not extinguish. He will lead forth judgment unto truth4He will not be saddened or troubled, until he establishes judgment on earth. And the islands will await his law5Thus says the Lord God, who created the heavens and expanded it, who formed the earth and all that springs from it, who gives breath to the people in it, and spirit to those walking on it6I, the Lord, have called you in justice, and I have taken your hand and preserved you. And I have presented you as a covenant of the people, as a light to the Gentiles7so that you may open the eyes of the blind, and lead out the prisoner from confinement and those sitting in darkness from the house of incarceration
John
1Then six days before the Passover, Jesus went to Bethania, where Lazarus had died, whom Jesus raised up2And they made a dinner for him there. And Martha was ministering. And truly, Lazarus was one of those who were sitting at table with him3And then Mary took twelve ounces of pure spikenard ointment, very precious, and she anointed the feet of Jesus, and she wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the ointment4Then one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was soon to betray him, said5"Why was this ointment not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the needy?6Now he said this, not out of concern for the needy, but because he was a thief and, since he held the purse, he used to carry what was put into it7But Jesus said: "Permit her, so that she may keep it against the day of my burial8For the poor, you have with you always. But me, you do always not have.9Now a great multitude of the Jews knew that he was in that place, and so they came, not so much because of Jesus, but so that they might see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead10And the leaders of the priests planned to put Lazarus to death also11For many of the Jews, because of him, were going away and were believing in Jesus
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound moments that illuminate the mission of Jesus and our response to it. The first reading from Isaiah presents a servant who is gentle, just, and a light to the nations, embodying the Messiah's role. This servant's mission is one of restoration and hope, not of power or dominance. In contrast, the Gospel from John shows Mary's extravagant act of anointing Jesus with costly ointment, a gesture of love and preparation for His burial. This act, though questioned by Judas, is defended by Jesus, who emphasizes that while the poor will always be present, His time with them is limited.
The context of these readings is pivotal. Isaiah's prophecy sets the stage for a Messiah who would bring light and justice, while John's narrative occurs near the end of Jesus' ministry, highlighting the tension between His impending death and the reactions of those around Him. Both readings converge on the theme of Jesus as the suffering servant, whose mission is to bring light and hope to all.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to respond with humility and love. Like Mary, we are invited to embrace radical acts of faith, trusting in God's plan even when it seems perplexing. We are reminded to serve the poor and marginalized, yet also to cherish moments of intimate worship and sacrifice. The moral lesson here is clear: trust in God's plan and be willing to serve and love sacrificially, as Jesus did. Let us embrace this call with openness and faith, allowing His light to guide us in our journey.