Daily Readings - Fri May 03 2024
1 Corinthians
1And so I make known to you, brothers, the Gospel that I preached to you, which you also received, and on which you stand2By the Gospel, too, you are being saved, if you hold to the understanding that I preached to you, lest you believe in vain3For I handed on to you, first of all, what I also received: that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures4and that he was buried; and that he rose again on the third day, according to the Scriptures5and that he was seen by Cephas, and after that by the eleven6Next he was seen by more than five hundred brothers at one time, many of whom remain, even to the present time, although some have fallen asleep7Next, he was seen by James, then by all the Apostles8And last of all, he was seen also by me, as if I were someone born at the wrong time
John
6Jesus said to him: "I am the Way, and the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father, except through me7If you had known me, certainly you would also have known my Father. And from now on, you shall know him, and you have seen him.8Philip said to him, "Lord, reveal the Father to us, and it is enough for us.9Jesus said to him: "Have I been with you for so long, and you have not known me? Philip, whoever sees me, also sees the Father. How can you say, ‘Reveal the Father to us?10Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I am speaking to you, I do not speak from myself. But the Father abiding in me, he does these works11Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me12Or else, believe because of these same works. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me shall also do the works that I do. And greater things than these shall he do, for I go to the Father13And whatever you shall ask the Father in my name, that I will do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son14If you shall ask anything of me in my name, that I will do
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the heart of our Christian faith: the resurrection of Jesus Christ and His divine relationship with the Father. The first reading from 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 emphasizes the core of the Gospel: Christ’s death for our sins, His burial, and His resurrection on the third day. Paul underscores the importance of this message, noting that over 500 people witnessed the risen Christ, and even he, as an unlikely apostle, encountered Him. This passage reminds us that our faith stands on the foundation of Christ’s resurrection, which is not just a historical event but a living truth that transforms us.
In the Gospel, John 14:6-14, Jesus reveals Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the only path to the Father. He assures His disciples that seeing Him is seeing the Father, for He and the Father are one. Jesus invites us to trust in this union, to believe in Him, and to do even greater works through the power of the Holy Spirit. This passage invites us to deepen our relationship with Christ, to seek the Father through Him, and to live in the confidence that we are called to continue His mission in the world.
These readings are deeply connected. The resurrection of Christ, as Paul emphasizes, is the proof of God’s power and love, and it is through this resurrected Christ that we come to know the Father. Jesus’ words in John remind us that our faith is not just about believing in a historical event but about living in a personal relationship with the living God. As we go about our daily lives, let us remember that the resurrection of Christ is not just a past event but a present reality that gives us hope and strength. Let us ask ourselves: Do we truly believe in the power of the resurrection? Do we live as people who have seen the Father in Christ? May we allow the truth of these readings to transform us, so that we may bear witness to the Gospel in our words and actions, and may we always seek to glorify the Father through our lives.