Daily Readings - Wed Sep 14 2022

First Reading - Numbers 21.4-9 or Philippians 2.6-11

⁴Then they set out from mount Hor, by the way that leads to the Red Sea, to circle around the land of Edom. And the people began to tire of their journey and hardships⁵And speaking against God and Moses, they said: "Why did you lead us away from Egypt, so as to die in the wilderness? Bread is lacking; there are no waters. Our soul is now nauseous over this very light food.⁶For this reason, the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, which wounded or killed many of them⁷And so they went to Moses, and they said: "We have sinned, because we have spoken against the Lord and against you. Pray, so that he may take away these serpents from us." And Moses prayed for the people⁸And the Lord said to him: "Make a bronze serpent, and place it as a sign. Whoever, having been struck, gazes upon it, shall live.⁹Therefore, Moses made a bronze serpent, and he placed it as a sign. When those who had been struck gazed upon it, they were healed

Philippians

Chapter 2

⁶who, though he was in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be seized⁷Instead, he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and accepting the state of a man⁸He humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, even the death of the Cross⁹Because of this, God has also exalted him and has given him a name which is above every name¹⁰so that, at the name of Jesus, every knee would bend, of those in heaven, of those on earth, and of those in hell¹¹and so that every tongue would confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father

John

Chapter 3

¹³And no one has ascended to heaven, except the one who descended from heaven: the Son of man who is in heaven¹⁴And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so also must the Son of man be lifted up¹⁵so that whoever believes in him may not perish, but may have eternal life¹⁶For God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that all who believe in him may not perish, but may have eternal life¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world, in order to judge the world, but in order that the world may be saved through him

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful images that connect the Old Testament and the New Testament, revealing God’s plan of salvation. The first reading from Numbers describes a moment of crisis for the Israelites as they journeyed through the wilderness. Tired and discontent, they rebelled against God and Moses, complaining about the hardships and the manna that had sustained them. As a consequence, God sent fiery serpents to afflict the people, but in His mercy, He provided a remedy: a bronze serpent lifted high on a pole. Those who gazed upon it in faith were healed. This story is not just a historical event; it is a foreshadowing of the ultimate act of salvation through Jesus Christ. In the Gospel, John draws a direct connection between the bronze serpent and Jesus. Just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, Jesus would be lifted up on the cross. The bronze serpent was a sign of salvation for the Israelites, and Jesus becomes the ultimate sign of salvation for all humanity. The Gospel emphasizes that God’s love for the world is so profound that He gave His only Son, not to condemn the world, but to save it. This act of love is the heart of the Christian faith. The cross, like the bronze serpent, is a symbol of healing and life for all who turn to it in faith. These readings invite us to reflect on the nature of faith and trust in God. Like the Israelites, we often face challenges and uncertainties in our lives that can lead us to doubt or complain. Yet, in those moments, we are called to look to the cross, to gaze upon Jesus, who was lifted up for our salvation. The cross reminds us that God’s love is not abstract but concrete, demonstrated in the sacrifice of His Son. As we navigate our own journeys, may we learn to trust in God’s plan, even when the path is difficult. Let us turn to Jesus, the source of all healing and life, and may we always remember that God’s love is greater than any trial we may face.