Daily Readings - Wed Apr 02 2025
Isaiah
8Thus says the Lord: In a pleasing time, I have heeded you, and in the day of salvation, I have assisted you. And I have preserved you, and I have presented you as a covenant of the people, so that you would lift up the earth, and possess the scattered inheritances9so that you would say to those who are bound, "Go forth!" and to those who are in darkness, "Be released!" They will pasture along the roads, and their pastures will be in every open place10They will not hunger or thirst, nor will the heat of the sun beat down upon them. For the one who takes pity on them will rule them, and he will give them to drink from fountains of waters11And I will make all my mountains into a road, and my paths will be exalted12Behold, some will come from far away, and behold, others from the north and from the sea, and still others from the land of the south13Give praise, O heavens! And exult, O earth! Let the mountains give praise with jubilation! For the Lord has consoled his people, and he will take pity on his poor ones14And Zion said: "The Lord has abandoned me, and the Lord has forgotten me.15Can a woman forget her infant, so as not to take pity on the child of her womb? But even if she would forget, still I shall never forget you
John
16Because of this, the Jews were persecuting Jesus, for he was doing these things on the Sabbath17But Jesus answered them, "Even now, my Father is working, and I am working.18And so, because of this, the Jews were seeking to kill him even more so. For not only did he break the Sabbath, but he even said that God was his Father, making himself equal to God19Then Jesus responded and said to them: "Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son is not able to do anything of himself, but only what he has seen the Father doing. For whatever he does, even this does the Son do, similarly20For the Father loves the Son, and he shows him all that he himself does. And greater works than these will he show him, so much so that you shall wonder21For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wills22For the Father does not judge anyone. But he has given all judgment to the Son23so that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son, does not honor the Father who sent him24Amen, amen, I say to you, that whoever hears my word, and believes in him who sent me, has eternal life, and he does not go into judgment, but instead he crosses from death into life25Amen, amen, I say to you, that the hour is coming, and it is now, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear it shall live26For just as the Father has life in himself, so also has he granted to the Son to have life in himself27And he has given him the authority to accomplish judgment. For he is the Son of man28Do not be amazed at this. For the hour is coming in which all who are in the grave shall hear the voice of the Son of God29And those who have done good shall go forth to the resurrection of life. Yet truly, those who have done evil shall go to the resurrection of judgment30I am not able to do anything of myself. As I hear, so do I judge. And my judgment is just. For I do not seek my own will, but the will of him who sent me
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on God’s loving care for his people and the profound relationship between the Father and the Son. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a beautiful expression of God’s compassion and faithfulness. Speaking through the prophet, God reassures his people that he has not abandoned them, even in their darkest moments. He promises to restore and renew them, offering them abundant life and freedom from the bonds that oppress them. This passage is set in the context of Israel’s exile, where the people felt forgotten and forsaken. Yet, Isaiah reminds them—and us—that God’s love is unwavering, like a mother’s love for her child, and that he will always provide for those who trust in him.
In the Gospel, Jesus deepens this theme by revealing the intimate unity between himself and the Father. He explains that his works are not his own but are the works of the Father, and that the Father has entrusted him with the power to give life and to judge. This teaching angered the Jews because it challenged their understanding of God and their traditions. Yet, Jesus’ words reveal the heart of his mission: to bring life and light to a world in darkness. Just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, Jesus, as the Son, shares in this divine work. His ultimate goal is to draw all people to the Father, that they might have eternal life.
These readings call us to trust in God’s loving plan, even when it seems unclear or challenging. Like the exiled Israelites, we may sometimes feel forgotten or lost, but God’s promise to us is the same: he will never forget us, and he will always provide for us. Jesus’ words remind us to look beyond our limited human perspectives and to embrace the truth that God’s ways are greater than our own. Let us open our hearts to the Father’s love, revealed through his Son, and allow ourselves to be transformed by the gift of eternal life that Jesus offers. May we, like Jesus, seek not our own will but the will of the One who sent us, trusting that his plan will lead us to true freedom and joy.