Daily Readings - Sun Jun 03 2018

³Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the rules. And all the people answered with one voice and said, "All the words that the LORD has spoken we will do."⁴And Moses wrote down all the words of the LORD. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.⁵And he sent young men of the people of Israel, who offered burnt offerings and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen to the LORD.⁶And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar.⁷Then he took the Book of the Covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. And they said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient."⁸And Moses took the blood and threw it on the people and said, "Behold the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words."

Hebrews

Chapter 9

¹¹But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation)¹²he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.¹³For if the sprinkling of defiled persons with the blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a heifer sanctifies for the purification of the flesh,¹⁴how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.¹⁵Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant.

Mark

Chapter 14

¹²And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, "Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?"¹³And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him,¹⁴and wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?'¹⁵And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us."¹⁶And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.²²And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, "Take; this is my body."²³And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it.²⁴And he said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.²⁵Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."²⁶And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Sermon

The readings today guide us through a journey from the old covenant to the new, highlighting the profound shift brought by Christ's sacrifice. In Exodus, we witness Moses establishing a covenant with the Israelites, sealed with the blood of animals, symbolizing their commitment to God. This act was a sacred ritual, binding the people to follow God's laws and establishing a holy nation. The context of this reading is the giving of the Law at Sinai, where the Israelites agree to obey God, and Moses mediates this covenant through sacrifice. Hebrews then elevates our understanding by introducing Christ as the ultimate High Priest. His sacrifice transcends the temporary rituals of the old covenant, offering eternal redemption through His own blood. This reading emphasizes the superiority of Christ's sacrifice, which purifies our consciences and enables us to serve God in a new way. The context here is the early Christian community, reassuring them of the lasting power of Christ's sacrifice compared to the repeated offerings of the old covenant. In Mark's Gospel, we see the institution of the Eucharist during the Last Supper. Jesus transforms the Passover meal, declaring the bread as His body and the wine as His blood, ushering in the new covenant. This act reinterprets the old covenant, making His sacrifice the foundation of a new relationship with God. The context is Jesus preparing His disciples for His departure, leaving them with a sacrament that unites them with Him and with each other. These readings connect by showing the progression from the old covenant, mediated by Moses and animal sacrifices, to the new covenant through Christ's ultimate sacrifice. The old covenant was a shadow of what was to come, fulfilled in Christ's offering. This transition invites us to reflect on how we live out the new covenant in our daily lives. Just as the Israelites were called to obedience, we are called to live in accordance with Christ's teachings, serving others and maintaining unity through the Eucharist. In our daily lives, this means embracing a life of love and service, recognizing that our actions reflect our commitment to the new covenant. We are to be the body of Christ, working towards justice and compassion. The moral lesson here is the call to live as a community bound by love, just as Christ's blood binds us to Himself and to each other. Let us respond to this gift by living with gratitude, humility, and a deep commitment to our faith, remembering that we are part of a covenant that transcends time and space.