Daily Readings - Fri Jun 07 2024

¹Just as the morning passes, so has the king of Israel passed by. For Israel was a child and I loved him; and out of Egypt I called my son²They called them, and so they departed before their face. They offered victims to the Baals, and they sacrificed to graven images³And I was like a foster father to Ephraim. I carried them in my arms. And they did not know that I healed them⁴I will draw them with the cords of Adam, with the bands of love. And I will be to them like one who raises the yoke over their jaws. And I will reach down to him so that he may eat⁸How will I provide for you, Ephraim; how will I protect you, Israel? How will I provide for you as for Adam; will I set you like Zeboiim? My heart has changed within me; together with my regret, it has been stirred up⁹I will not act on the fury of my wrath. I will not turn back to utterly destroy Ephraim. For I am God, and not man, the Divine in your midst, and I will not advance upon the city

Ephesians

Chapter 3

⁸Although I am the least of all the saints, I have been given this grace: to evangelize among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ⁹and to enlighten everyone concerning the dispensation of the mystery, hidden before the ages in God who created all things¹⁰so that the manifold wisdom of God may become well-known to the principalities and powers in the heavens, through the Church¹¹according to that timeless purpose, which he has formed in Christ Jesus our Lord¹²In him we trust, and so we approach with confidence, through his faith¹⁴By reason of this grace, I bend my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ¹⁵from whom all paternity in heaven and on earth takes its name¹⁶And I ask him to grant to you to be strengthened in virtue by his Spirit, in accord with the wealth of his glory, in the inner man¹⁷so that Christ may live in your hearts through a faith rooted in, and founded on, charity¹⁸So may you be able to embrace, with all the saints, what is the width and length and height and dept¹⁹of the charity of Christ, and even be able to know that which surpasses all knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God

John

Chapter 19

³¹Then the Jews, because it was the preparation day, so that the bodies would not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a great day), they petitioned Pilate in order that their legs might be broken, and they might be taken away³²Therefore, the soldiers approached, and, indeed, they broke the legs of the first one, and of the other who was crucified with him³³But after they had approached Jesus, when they saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs³⁴Instead, one of the soldiers opened his side with a lance, and immediately there went out blood and water³⁵And he who saw this has offered testimony, and his testimony is true. And he knows that he speaks the truth, so that you also may believe³⁶For these things happened so that the Scripture would be fulfilled: "You shall not break a bone of him.³⁷And again, another Scripture says: "They shall look upon him, whom they have pierced.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter profound expressions of God's love, each offering a unique perspective on its nature and impact. The first reading from Hosea portrays God as a loving father, deeply sorrowful yet merciful, yearning to redeem Israel despite their rebellion. This passage highlights God's patience and enduring love, emphasizing that His love is not conditional but transformative. The second reading from Ephesians shifts our focus to the universal scope of God's love. Paul, in his mission to the Gentiles, reveals that this love is not confined to a chosen few but is intended for all. He prays for believers to be strengthened and to grasp the depth of Christ's love, illustrating that God's wisdom and love are accessible to everyone, fostering unity and enriching our lives. The Gospel from John presents the ultimate act of love through Jesus' sacrifice. The crucifixion scene, with the piercing of Jesus' side, symbolizes the birth of the Church and the sacraments, reminding us that God's love is sacrificial and life-giving. This act fulfills Scripture, showing that God's love is both redemptive and transformative. Reflecting on these readings, we are called to embody God's love in our daily lives. Just as God's love is universal, our actions should reflect this by embracing others with compassion and kindness. Let us strive to share God's love in our communities, just as Hosea, Paul, and Jesus exemplified. The moral lesson here is clear: God's love is boundless, and we are called to be vessels of this love, transforming the world around us through our actions and faith.