Daily Readings - Thu Apr 03 2025
Exodus
7Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: "Go, descend. Your people, whom you led away from the land of Egypt, have sinned8They have quickly withdrawn from the way which you revealed to them. And they have made for themselves a molten calf, and they have worshiped it. And immolating victims to it, they have said: ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who led you away from the land of Egypt.’ 9And again, the Lord said to Moses: "I discern that this people is stiff-necked10Release me, so that my fury may be enraged against them, and I may destroy them, and then I will make of you a great nation.11Then Moses prayed to the Lord his God, saying: "Why, O Lord, is your fury enraged against your people, whom you led away from the land of Egypt, with great strength and with a mighty hand12I beg you, let not the Egyptians say, ‘He cleverly led them away, so that he could put them to death in the mountains and destroy them from the earth.’ Let your anger be quieted and appeased concerning the wickedness of your people13Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your very self, saying: ‘I will multiply your offspring like the stars of heaven. And this entire land, about which I have spoken, I will give to your offspring. And you shall possess it forever.’ 14And the Lord was appeased from doing the evil which he had spoken against his people
John
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 God31If I offer testimony about myself, my testimony is not true32There is another who offers testimony about me, and I know that the testimony which he offers about me is true33You sent to John, and he offered testimony to the truth34But I do not accept testimony from man. Instead, I say these things, so that you may be saved35He was a burning and shining light. So you were willing, at the time, to exult in his light36But I hold a greater testimony than that of John. For the works which the Father has given to me, so that I may complete them, these works themselves that I do, offer testimony about me: that the Father has sent me37And the Father who has sent me has himself offered testimony about me. And you have never heard his voice, nor have you beheld his appearance38And you do not have his word abiding in you. For the one whom he sent, the same you would not believe39Study the Scriptures. For you think that in them you have eternal life. And yet they also offer testimony about me40And you are not willing to come to me, so that you may have life41I do not accept glory from men42But I know you, that you do not have the love of God within you43I have come in the name of my Father, and you do not accept me. If another will arrive in his own name, him you will accept44How are you able to believe, you who accept glory from one another and yet do not seek the glory that is from God alone45Do not consider that I might accuse you with the Father. There is one who accuses you, Moses, in whom you hope46For if you were believing in Moses, perhaps you would believe in me also. For he wrote about me47But if you do not believe by his writings, how will you believe by my words?
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on the nature of faith, trust, and God’s enduring love. The first reading from Exodus recounts the story of the golden calf, where the Israelites, impatient and fearful during Moses’ absence, turn to idolatry. Moses intercedes on their behalf, pleading with God to spare them, reminding Him of His covenant with their ancestors. This story reveals the tension between human weakness and God’s mercy. The people’s actions demonstrate how quickly we can lose faith and seek comfort in false idols when God seems distant or unseen.
The Gospel reading from John presents a similar theme but in a different context. Jesus speaks about the testimony of His works and the Father’s witness to His identity. He laments that even though the people studied the Scriptures, they failed to recognize Him as the fulfillment of those same Scriptures. Jesus’ words highlight the spiritual blindness that can occur when we rely on our own understanding rather than trusting in God’s revelation. Just as the Israelites turned to a golden calf, the people in Jesus’ time were often more comfortable with their own interpretations and traditions than with the living Word of God standing before them.
These readings remind us that faith is not about seeing or understanding everything; it is about trusting in God’s promises even when the path ahead is unclear. Like Moses, we are called to intercede for others and to hold fast to God’s covenant, even when those around us falter. Like the Israelites, we must guard against the temptation to substitute the true God with false idols—whether they be material possessions, ideologies, or our own ego. And like the people in the Gospel, we must humbly acknowledge our spiritual blindness and seek to encounter Christ anew in Scripture and in prayer. May we, through these readings, deepen our trust in God’s love and remain steadfast in our commitment to Him, even when the journey is difficult.