Daily Readings - Thu Apr 17 2025
Exodus
1The Lord also said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt2"This month will be for you the beginning of the months. It will be first in the months of the year3Speak to the entire assembly of the sons of Israel, and say to them: On the tenth day of this month, let everyone take a lamb, by their families and houses4But if the number is less than may suffice to be able to consume the lamb, he shall accept his neighbor, who has been joined with his house according to the number of souls that may suffice to be able to eat the lamb5And it shall be a lamb without blemish, a one year old male. According to this rite, you shall also take a young goat6And you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of this month. And the entire multitude of the sons of Israel shall immolate it toward evening7And they shall take from its blood, and place it on both the door posts and the upper threshold of the houses, in which they will consume it8And that night they shall eat the flesh, roasted by fire, and unleavened bread with wild lettuce11Now you shall consume it in this way: You shall gird your waist, and you shall have shoes on your feet, holding staves in your hands, and you shall consume it in haste. For it is the Passover (that is, the Crossing) of the Lord12And I will cross through the land of Egypt that night, and I will strike down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from man, even to cattle. And I will bring judgments against all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord13But the blood will be for you as a sign in the buildings where you will be. And I will see the blood, and I will pass over you. And the plague will not be with you to destroy, when I strike the land of Egypt14Then you shall have this day as a memorial, and you shall celebrate it as a solemnity to the Lord, in your generations, as an everlasting devotion
1 Corinthians
23For I have received from the Lord what I have also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus, on the same night that he was handed over, took bread24and giving thanks, he broke it, and said: "Take and eat. This is my body, which shall be given up for you. Do this in remembrance of me.25Similarly also, the cup, after he had eaten supper, saying: "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord, until he returns
John
1Before the feast day of the Passover, Jesus knew that the hour was approaching when he would pass from this world to the Father. And since he had always loved his own who were in the world, he loved them unto the end2And when the meal had taken place, when the devil had now put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray him3knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he came from God and was going to God4he rose up from the meal, and he set aside his vestments, and when he had received a towel, he wrapped it around himself5Next he put water into a shallow bowl, and he began to wash the feet of the disciples and to wipe them with the towel with which he was wrapped6And then he came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to him, "Lord, would you wash my feet?7Jesus responded and said to him: "What I am doing, you do not now understand. But you shall understand it afterward.8Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you will have no place with me.9Simon Peter said to him, "Then Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!10Jesus said to him: "He who is washed need only wash his feet, and then he will be entirely clean. And you are clean, but not all.11For he knew which one would betray him. For this reason, he said, "You are not all clean.12And so, after he washed their feet and received his vestments, when he had sat down at table again, he said to them: "Do you know what I have done for you13You call me Teacher and Lord, and you speak well: for so I am14Therefore, if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash the feet of one another15For I have given you an example, so that just as I have done for you, so also should you do
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound mystery of God’s love and the call to humility and service. In the first reading from Exodus, we hear the story of the Passover, where God instructs the Israelites to mark their doorposts with the blood of a lamb so that the angel of death will “pass over” their homes. This rite is a powerful symbol of liberation and salvation, prefiguring the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, who would shed his blood to save humanity from sin. The context of this reading is the Israelites’ preparation for their escape from slavery in Egypt, and it reminds us that God’s love is always tied to liberation and the promise of new life.
The second reading from 1 Corinthians connects this ancient ritual to the Eucharist, which Jesus instituted on the night before his Passion. Paul reminds us that the bread and cup are not just symbols but the very body and blood of Christ, given for us. This sacrament is a remembrance of his death and a proclamation of his resurrection. The context here is the early Christian community’s celebration of the Lord’s Supper, and it underscores the deep unity we share with Christ and with one another through this sacred meal.
In the Gospel, Jesus takes this theme of love and service to its fullest expression. On the eve of his Passion, he humbles himself to wash the feet of his disciples, an act typically performed by slaves. When Peter resists, Jesus makes it clear that this act of humility is essential for true discipleship. The context is Jesus’ final hours with his disciples, teaching them one last lesson about the nature of his kingdom. By washing their feet, he shows that true greatness is found in serving others, and he calls us to follow his example.
These readings are deeply connected. The Passover in Exodus points to the ultimate Passover in Christ, who would pass over from death to life. The Eucharist in Corinthians is the continuation of this mystery, where we receive the gift of Christ’s body and blood. And in John’s Gospel, Jesus shows us how to live this gift by serving one another with humility and love. Together, they remind us that our faith is not just about rituals or doctrines but about living out God’s love in concrete acts of service and sacrifice.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How can we imitate Christ’s humility in our daily lives? How can we serve others, especially those in need? The Eucharist we celebrate is not just a memory but a call to live as Christ lived. Let us approach the altar with gratitude for the gift of Christ’s body and blood, and let us leave with a renewed commitment to serve one another, just as he served us. In doing so, we fulfill the commandment of love that Jesus gave us, and we become the hands and feet of Christ in the world.