Daily Readings - Sat Apr 16 2022

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

Luke

Chapter 24

¹Then, on the first Sabbath, at very first light, they went to the tomb, carrying the aromatic spices that they had prepared²And they found the stone rolled back from the tomb³And upon entering, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus⁴And it happened that, while their minds were still confused about this, behold, two men stood beside them, in shining apparel⁵Then, since they were afraid and were turning their faces toward the ground, these two said to them: "Why do you seek the living with the dead⁶He is not here, for he has risen. Recall how he spoke to you, when he was still in Galilee⁷saying: ‘For the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.’ ⁸And they called to mind his words⁹And returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the eleven, and to all the others¹⁰Now it was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary of James, and the other women who were with them, who told these things to the Apostles¹¹But these words seemed to them a delusion. And so they did not believe them¹²But Peter, rising up, ran to the tomb. And stooping down, he saw the linen cloths positioned alone, and he went away wondering to himself about what had happened

Sermon

The readings today take us on a journey from creation to resurrection, reminding us of God’s plan for humanity and our ultimate hope in Christ. In the first reading, we hear the story of creation, where God forms humanity in his own image and gives us dominion over the earth. This passage emphasizes our dignity as creatures made for a purpose and our responsibility to care for the world around us. The second reading from Romans connects this creation narrative to our life in Christ, explaining how through baptism, we are united with Christ’s death and resurrection. We are called to leave behind our old selves and live in the newness of life, free from the grip of sin. Finally, the Gospel from Luke recounts the discovery of the empty tomb, a moment of confusion and wonder that leads to faith. The women’s words seem like a delusion to the disciples, but Peter’s curiosity and investigation lead him to the truth of the resurrection. These readings are deeply intertwined. The creation story establishes our identity as God’s beloved creatures, while Romans reveals how that identity is transformed through Christ. The Gospel, then, is the culmination of this transformation, as Christ’s resurrection opens the door to eternal life. Together, they remind us that we are not just passive observers in God’s plan but active participants, called to live in the light of this truth. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How are we living out our dignity as God’s image-bearers? Are we caring for creation and one another with the love and responsibility that comes with this calling? Are we embracing the new life offered through Christ, leaving behind sin and living for God? And when faced with confusion or doubt, do we, like Peter, seek the truth with courage and openness? May we allow the resurrection to transform our lives, filling us with hope and purpose as we strive to live as children of God.