Daily Readings - Fri Jun 08 2018
Hosea
1When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.2The more they were called, the more they went away; they kept sacrificing to the Baals and burning offerings to idols.3Yet it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up by their arms, but they did not know that I healed them.4I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love, and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws, and I bent down to them and fed them.8How can I give you up, O Ephraim? How can I hand you over, O Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? My heart recoils within me; my compassion grows warm and tender.9I will not execute my burning anger; I will not again destroy Ephraim; for I am God and not a man, the Holy One in your midst, and I will not come in wrath.
Ephesians
8To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,9and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God who created all things,10so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.11This was according to the eternal purpose that he has realized in Christ Jesus our Lord,12in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in him.14For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,15from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,16that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith--that you, being rooted and grounded in love,18may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,19and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
John
31Since it was the day of Preparation, and so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away.32So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him.33But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.34But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once there came out blood and water.35He who saw it has borne witness--his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth--that you also may believe.36For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken."37And again another Scripture says, "They will look on him whom they have pierced."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound expressions of God’s love and mercy, woven together across the Old and New Testaments. The first reading from Hosea reveals the tender heart of God, who, despite Israel’s rebellion, remains a loving Father. Hosea’s words evoke the Exodus, where God called His people out of slavery, and yet they turned away. Still, God’s love endures, healing and drawing them close with cords of love. This passage reminds us that God’s mercy often surpasses our understanding, and His heart is moved with compassion, even when we fail to recognize His care.
In the second reading from Ephesians, St. Paul reflects on the mystery of Christ, which unites all people in God’s plan. He prays for the believers to be strengthened by the Spirit and to grasp the immeasurable love of Christ. This love is not just a feeling but a divine reality that transforms us, filling us with the fullness of God. Paul’s words invite us to trust in God’s timeless purpose and to approach Him with confidence, knowing that we are part of a greater story that transcends our own limitations.
The Gospel from John brings us to the foot of the cross, where the pierced side of Jesus flows with blood and water, a symbol of the sacraments and the life-giving love of Christ. The fulfillment of Scripture here underscores the precision of God’s plan and the depth of His love. Just as Hosea spoke of God’s reluctance to destroy Ephraim, John shows us a God who, in Jesus, pours out His life for us. The cross is the ultimate expression of God’s love, a love that does not break or abandon but instead heals and redeems.
As we reflect on these readings, let us allow the depth of God’s love to sink into our hearts. May we trust in His plan, even when we cannot see the full picture. May we experience the transformative power of His love in our lives, and may we, like St. Paul, pray for the strength to embrace the width, length, height, and depth of Christ’s love. In this love, we find our true fullness, and we are called to share it with a world in need.