Daily Readings - Sat Mar 31 2018
Genesis
1In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.26Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth."27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.28And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth."29And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.30And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so.31And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Romans
3Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?4We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.5For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.6We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.7For one who has died has been set free from sin.8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.9We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.10For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God.11So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Mark
1When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.2And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.3And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?"4And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back--it was very large.5And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed.6And he said to them, "Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.7But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you."8And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. [Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include 16:9-20.]
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey from creation to resurrection, tracing God's plan for humanity. The first reading from Genesis reminds us of our origin as beings created in God's image, entrusted with stewardship over the earth. This passage establishes our role as caretakers, reflecting God's love and wisdom in the world. The second reading from Romans shifts our focus to baptism, where we die to sin and rise anew in Christ. This spiritual rebirth calls us to live a life transformed by faith, no longer bound by sin but alive in God's grace. The Gospel from Mark culminates in the resurrection, where the women discover the empty tomb and receive the joyous news to spread. This moment is the pinnacle of God's plan, offering salvation and hope.
These readings interweave to reveal a narrative of creation, redemption, and mission. Genesis sets the stage with our original purpose, Romans reveals how Christ restores us, and Mark's Gospel commissions us to share this Good News. Together, they show how God's plan unfolds from creation to our call to live as new creations in Christ.
In daily life, this means embracing our role as stewards, living with purpose and integrity. We are called to spread the Gospel, not just in words, but through our actions and love. The resurrection reminds us of the power of faith and the hope it brings. Let us live as children of God, renewed and empowered, sharing the joy of Christ's victory over sin and death.