Daily Readings - Sun Mar 09 2025

⁴And the priest, taking up the basket from your hand, shall place it before the altar of the Lord your God⁵And you shall say, in the sight of the Lord your God: ‘The Syrian pursued my father, who descended into Egypt, and he sojourned there in a very small number, and he increased into a great and strong nation and into an innumerable multitude⁶And the Egyptians afflicted us, and they persecuted us, imposing upon us the most grievous burdens⁷And we cried out to the Lord, the God of our fathers. He heard us, and he looked with favor upon our humiliation, and hardship, and distress⁸And he led us away from Egypt, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, with a mighty terror, with signs and wonders⁹And he led us into this place, and he delivered to us the land flowing with milk and honey¹⁰And because of this, I now offer the first fruits of the land which the Lord has given to me.’ And you shall leave them in the sight of the Lord your God, and you shall adore the Lord your God

Romans

Chapter 10

⁸But what does Scripture say? "The word is near, in your mouth and in your heart." This is the word of faith, which we are preaching⁹For if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and if you believe in your heart that God has raised him up from the dead, you shall be saved¹⁰For with the heart, we believe unto justice; but with the mouth, confession is unto salvation¹¹For Scripture says: "All those who believe in him shall not be confounded.¹²For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek. For the same Lord is over all, richly in all who call upon him¹³For all those who have called upon the name of the Lord shall be saved

Luke

Chapter 4

¹And Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan. And he was urged by the Spirit into the wildernes²for forty days, and he was tested by the devil. And he ate nothing in those days. And when they were completed, he was hungry³Then the devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, speak to this stone, so that it may be made into bread.⁴And Jesus answered him, "It is written: ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.’ ⁵And the devil led him onto a high mountain, and he showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time⁶and he said to him: "To you, I will give all this power, and its glory. For they have been handed over to me, and I give them to whomever I wish⁷Therefore, if you will worship before me, all will be yours.⁸And in response, Jesus said to him: "It is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him alone.’ ⁹And he brought him to Jerusalem, and he set him on the parapet of the temple, and he said to him: "If you are the Son of God, cast yourself down from here¹⁰For it is written that he has given his Angels charge over you, so that they may guard you¹¹and so that they may take you into their hands, lest perhaps you may hurt your foot against a stone.¹²And in response, Jesus said to him, "It is said: ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’ ¹³And when all the temptation was completed, the devil withdrew from him, until a time

Sermon

In today's readings, we journey through themes of remembrance, faith, and trust in God. The first reading from Deuteronomy invites us to reflect on the Israelites' history, emphasizing gratitude for God's deliverance and provision. This act of bringing first fruits is not just a ritual but a profound expression of trust in God's faithfulness. The second reading from Romans expands this idea, highlighting that faith in Jesus Christ is universal, transcending boundaries, and leading to salvation. Here, Paul underscores that faith is both a heartfelt belief and a confessed truth. The Gospel from Luke presents Jesus as the embodiment of this faith. Faced with temptation, Jesus relies on Scripture to resist the devil, demonstrating unwavering trust in God's plan. His responses show that true strength lies not in power or comfort but in fidelity to God's word. These readings weave together a narrative of trust and faith. Just as the Israelites remembered God's actions, we too are called to recall His blessings. Like Paul, we are reminded that faith in Jesus is accessible to all. And as Jesus exemplified, our trust in God must guide us through life's challenges. In our daily lives, let us embrace this trust, standing firm against temptations and nurturing our faith through prayer and reflection. May we, like Jesus, find strength in God's word, remembering His faithfulness and confessing our faith boldly.