Daily Readings - Wed Jun 05 2024

¹Paul, an Apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, in accord with the promise of the life which is in Christ Jesus²to Timothy, most beloved son. Grace, mercy, peace, from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord³I give thanks to God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a pure conscience. For without ceasing I hold the remembrance of you in my prayers, night and day⁶Because of this, I admonish you to revive the grace of God, which is in you by the imposition of my hands⁷For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of virtue, and of love, and of self-restraint⁸And so, do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner. Instead, collaborate with the Gospel in accord with the virtue of God⁹who has freed us and has called us to his holy vocation, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus, before the ages of time¹⁰And this has now been made manifest by the illumination of our Savior Jesus Christ, who certainly has destroyed death, and who has also illuminated life and incorruption through the Gospel¹¹Of this Gospel, I have been appointed a preacher, and an Apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles¹²For this reason, I also suffer these things. But I am not confounded. For I know in whom I have believed, and I am certain that he has the power to preserve what was entrusted to me, unto that day

Mark

Chapter 12

¹⁸And the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, approached him. And they questioned him, saying¹⁹"Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if any man’s brother will have died and left behind a wife, and not have left behind sons, his brother should take his wife to himself and should raise up offspring for his brother²⁰So then, there were seven brothers. And the first took a wife, and he died without leaving behind offspring²¹And the second took her, and he died. And neither did he leave behind offspring. And the third acted similarly²²And in like manner, each of the seven received her and did not leave behind offspring. Last of all, the woman also died²³Therefore, in the resurrection, when they will rise again, to which of them will she be a wife? For each of the seven had her as wife.²⁴And Jesus responded by saying to them: "But have you not gone astray, by knowing neither the scriptures, nor the power of God²⁵For when they will be resurrected from the dead, they shall neither marry, nor be given in marriage, but they are like the Angels in heaven²⁶But concerning the dead who rise again, have you not read in the book of Moses, how God spoke to him from the bush, saying: ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?²⁷He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Therefore, you have gone far astray.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages about faith, trust, and the nature of eternal life. The first reading from 2 Timothy emphasizes standing firm in faith despite challenges, trusting in God's power and grace. Paul encourages Timothy to rekindle the grace within him, urging boldness in sharing the Gospel and confidence in God's power. The Gospel from Mark presents Jesus correcting the Sadducees' misunderstanding of the resurrection, illustrating that life beyond death is a transformation where earthly bonds like marriage no longer apply, much like the angels. Both readings highlight the importance of understanding God's power and the Scriptures. Paul's letter to Timothy is a call to courage and trust in God's plan, while Jesus' response to the Sadducees underscores the reality of resurrection as a new form of life focused on God. These themes remind us to trust in God's eternal promises and live with hope beyond current circumstances. In daily life, these teachings encourage us to face challenges with faith, not fear, and to trust in God's plan. They invite us to embrace the hope of eternal life, where our true identity and purpose are in God. Let us live boldly, sharing the Gospel and trusting in God's power, knowing that our ultimate home is with Him.