Daily Readings - Sun Jun 02 2024

³Therefore, Moses went and explained to the people all the words of the Lord, as well as the judgments. And all the people responded with one voice: "We will do all the words of the Lord, which he has spoken.⁴Then Moses wrote all the words of the Lord. And rising up in the morning, he built an altar at the base of the mountain, with twelve titles according to the twelve tribes of Israel⁵And he sent youths from the sons of Israel, and they offered holocausts, and they immolated calves as peace-offerings to the Lord⁶And so Moses took one half part of the blood, and he put it into bowls. Then the remaining part he poured over the altar⁷And taking up the book of the covenant, he read it in the hearing of the people, who said: "All that the Lord has spoken, we will do, and we will be obedient.⁸In truth, taking up the blood, he sprinkled it on the people, and he said, "This is the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has formed with you concerning all these words.

Hebrews

Chapter 9

¹¹But Christ, standing as the High Priest of future good things, through a greater and more perfect tabernacle, one not made by hand, that is, not of this creation¹²entered once into the Holy of Holies, having obtained eternal redemption, neither by the blood of goats, nor of calves, but by his own blood¹³For if the blood of goats and oxen, and the ashes of a calf, when these are sprinkled, sanctify those who have been defiled, in order to cleanse the flesh¹⁴how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the Holy Spirit has offered himself, immaculate, to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works, in order to serve the living God¹⁵And thus he is the Mediator of the new testament, so that, by his death, he intercedes for the redemption of those transgressions which were under the former testament, so that those who have been called may receive the promise of an eternal inheritance

Mark

Chapter 14

¹²And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they immolate the Passover, the disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?¹³And he sent two of his disciples, and he said to them: "Go into the city. And you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water; follow him¹⁴And wherever he will have entered, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says: Where is my dining room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?¹⁵And he will show you a large cenacle, fully furnished. And there, you shall prepare it for us.¹⁶And his disciples departed and went into the city. And they found it just as he had told them. And they prepared the Passover²²And while eating with them, Jesus took bread. And blessing it, he broke it and gave it to them, and he said: "Take. This is my body.²³And having taken the chalice, giving thanks, he gave it to them. And they all drank from it²⁴And he said to them: "This is my blood of the new covenant, which shall be shed for many²⁵Amen I say to you, that I will no longer drink from this fruit of the vine, until that day when I will drink it new in the kingdom of God.²⁶And having sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives

Sermon

In today's readings, we journey through the establishment of covenants, highlighting the transformative power of sacrifice and commitment. The Exodus passage shows Moses leading the Israelites in a covenant with God, sealed with the blood of animals, symbolizing their commitment to follow His laws. This act is not just a ritual but a profound moment of communal dedication, setting the stage for a relationship built on obedience and trust. In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus institutes the Eucharist during the Last Supper, offering His body and blood as the new covenant. This moment redefines sacrifice, moving from animal offerings to the ultimate gift of self. Jesus' words, "This is my blood of the new covenant," resonate deeply, indicating a covenant of love and redemption that transcends the old. The letter to the Hebrews bridges these moments, explaining that Christ's sacrifice is more powerful than any before, offering eternal redemption through His own blood, thus becoming the mediator of a new and everlasting covenant. Reflecting on these readings, we are reminded of the importance of trust and commitment in our relationship with God. Just as the Israelites trusted Moses and God, we are called to trust in Christ's sacrifice. The Eucharist invites us to participate in this covenant daily, transforming us and deepening our commitment to live as followers of Christ. In our lives, this means embracing sacrifice with love, trusting in God's plan, and finding strength in community. Let us approach each day with renewed dedication, allowing the power of Christ's covenant to guide and transform us.