Daily Readings - Thu Mar 21 2024
Genesis
3Abram fell prone on his face4And God said to him: "I AM, and my covenant is with you, and you will be the father of many nations5No longer will your name be called Abram. But you will be called Abraham, for I have established you as the father of many nations6And I will cause you to increase very greatly, and I will set you among the nations, and kings will come forth from you7And I will establish my covenant between me and you, and with your offspring after you in their generations, by a perpetual covenant: to be God to you and to your offspring after you8And I will give to you and to your offspring, the land of your sojourn, all the land of Canaan, as an eternal possession, and I will be their God.9Again God said to Abraham: "And you therefore shall keep my covenant, and your offspring after you in their generations
John
51Amen, amen, I say to you, if anyone will have kept my word, he will not see death for eternity.52Therefore, the Jews said: "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham is dead, and the Prophets; and yet you say, ‘If anyone will have kept my word, he shall not taste death for eternity.53Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. So who do you make yourself to be?54Jesus responded: "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me. And you say about him that he is your God55And yet you have not known him. But I know him. And if I were to say that I do not know him, then I would be like you, a liar. But I know him, and I keep his word56Abraham, your father, rejoiced that he might see my day; he saw it and was glad.57And so the Jews said to him, "You have not yet reached fifty years, and you have seen Abraham?58Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham was made, I am.59Therefore, they took up stones to cast at him. But Jesus hid himself, and he departed from the temple
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound moments of revelation and covenant. The first reading from Genesis recounts the moment when Abram, a man of deep faith, is renamed Abraham by God. This name change signifies a new identity and a divine promise: Abraham is to become the father of many nations, and God establishes an eternal covenant with him and his descendants. The reading emphasizes God’s faithfulness and the transformative power of His promises. The second reading from John’s Gospel presents a tense exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees. Jesus declares that those who keep His word will never see death, a statement that provokes confusion and hostility. The Pharisees question Jesus’ claim, comparing it to the legacy of Abraham, who had long since passed away. Jesus responds by asserting His divine identity, stating that He existed even before Abraham was born, a bold declaration that underscores His eternal and divine nature.
These readings are deeply connected. In Genesis, God establishes a covenant with Abraham, promising to be his God and the God of his descendants. This covenant is rooted in faith and trust, as Abraham is called to believe in God’s promises despite the impossibility of his circumstances. In the Gospel, Jesus extends this covenant, revealing Himself as the fulfillment of God’s promises. His words challenge the Pharisees—and us—to recognize that true life comes not from earthly lineage or religious observance, but from a living relationship with God. Jesus’ statement, “Before Abraham was, I AM,” is a declaration of His divinity and His role as the ultimate source of life and truth.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to reflect on the nature of faith and identity. Like Abraham, we are called to trust in God’s promises, even when they seem impossible or unclear. Like the Pharisees, we may sometimes struggle to see the deeper truth behind Jesus’ words, but His message is clear: eternal life is found in keeping His word and living in communion with the Father. As we navigate the challenges of our own lives, let us remember that our true identity is rooted in God’s covenant love. May we, like Abraham, rejoice in the day of the Lord, and may we, like Jesus, live with the confidence of knowing that we are beloved children of God.