Daily Readings - Sat Jul 22 2023

First Reading - Song of Solomon 3.1-4a or 2 Corinthians 5.14-17

¹Bride: On my bed, throughout the night, I sought him whom my soul loves. I sought him, and did not find him²I will rise up, and I will circle through the city. Through the side streets and thoroughfares, I will seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him, and did not find him³The watchers who guard the city found me: "Have you seen him whom my soul loves?⁴When I had passed by them a little, I found him whom my soul loves. I held him, and would not release him, until I would bring him into my mother’s house, and into the chamber of her who bore me

2 Corinthians

Chapter 5

¹⁴For the charity of Christ urges us on, in consideration of this: that if one died for all, then all have died¹⁵And Christ died for all, so that even those who live might not now live for themselves, but for him who died for them and who rose again¹⁶And so, from now on, we know no one according to the flesh. And though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him in this way no longer¹⁷So if anyone is a new creature in Christ, what is old has passed away. Behold, all things have been made new

John

Chapter 20

¹Then on the first Sabbath, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and she saw that the stone had been rolled away from the tomb¹¹But Mary was standing outside the tomb, weeping. Then, while she was weeping, she bowed down and gazed into the tomb¹²And she saw two Angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been placed, one at the head, and one at the feet¹³They say to her, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She said to them, "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have placed him.¹⁴When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus¹⁵Jesus said to her: "Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you seeking?" Considering that it was the gardener, she said to him, "Sir, if you have moved him, tell me where you have placed him, and I will take him away.¹⁶Jesus said to her, "Mary!" And turning, she said to him, "Rabboni!" (which means, Teacher)¹⁷Jesus said to her: "Do not touch me. For I have not yet ascended to my Father. But go to my brothers and tell them: ‘I am ascending to my Father and to your Father, to my God and to your God.’ ¹⁸Mary Magdalene went, announcing to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord, and these are the things that he said to me.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of seeking, finding, and the profound love that drives us to pursue what is most precious. In the first reading from the Song of Solomon, we hear the voice of the bride, who, with deep longing and determination, searches for her beloved throughout the city. Her persistence ultimately leads her to find him, and she clings to him, refusing to let him go. This poetic passage is often seen as an allegory for the soul’s quest for God, highlighting the intensity of love and the joy of union. In the Gospel, we encounter Mary Magdalene, who also seeks the one she loves—Jesus. Her journey takes her to the tomb early in the morning, where she discovers that the stone has been rolled away. Overcome with grief and confusion, she encounters the risen Lord, though she does not immediately recognize him. Jesus reveals himself to her, calling her by name, and commissions her to share the news of his resurrection with the disciples. Mary’s story reminds us that our search for God is not in vain; even in moments of darkness and uncertainty, God reveals himself to those who seek him with an open and faithful heart. Both readings remind us that the Christian life is one of seeking and finding. Like the bride in the Song of Solomon, we are called to pursue God with passion and perseverance. Like Mary Magdalene, we must be willing to look beyond our initial expectations and trust that God will reveal himself to us in ways we may not anticipate. As we go about our daily lives, let us remember that our ultimate fulfillment lies in our relationship with God. May we seek him with courage and faith, trusting that he will meet us in unexpected ways, and may we cling to him as Mary did, holding fast to the gift of his presence in our lives.