Daily Readings - Sat Apr 06 2019
Jeremiah
18The LORD made it known to me and I knew; then you showed me their deeds.19But I was like a gentle lamb led to the slaughter. I did not know it was against me they devised schemes, saying, "Let us destroy the tree with its fruit, let us cut him off from the land of the living, that his name be remembered no more."20But, O LORD of hosts, who judges righteously, who tests the heart and the mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you have I committed my cause.
John
40When they heard these words, some of the people said, "This really is the Prophet."41Others said, "This is the Christ." But some said, "Is the Christ to come from Galilee?42Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was?"43So there was a division among the people over him.44Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him.45The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, "Why did you not bring him?"46The officers answered, "No one ever spoke like this man!"47The Pharisees answered them, "Have you also been deceived?48Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him?49But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed."50Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them,51"Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does?"52They replied, "Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee." [The earliest manuscripts do not include John 7:53-8:11]53[[They went each to his own house,
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on trust, discernment, and the challenges of faith. The first reading from Jeremiah describes the prophet’s unwavering trust in God despite the plots against him. Jeremiah, though innocent and meek, is targeted by those who seek to destroy him, yet he places his hope in God’s justice and mercy. The Gospel from John presents a divided crowd debating Jesus’ identity. Some recognize him as the Prophet or the Messiah, while others question his origins, citing Scripture to argue that the Messiah must come from Bethlehem, not Galilee. This division leads to tension, and even the authorities are perplexed by Jesus’ words and the people’s reaction to him.
Both readings highlight the theme of trust and discernment in the face of uncertainty. Jeremiah’s trust in God is rooted in his deep faith, even when faced with betrayal and danger. In the Gospel, the crowd and the leaders struggle to see beyond their preconceptions about the Messiah’s origins, revealing a spiritual blindness that prevents them from fully embracing the truth. These stories remind us that faith often requires us to look beyond the surface and to trust in God’s plan, even when circumstances seem confusing or unjust.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to examine how we respond to challenges and uncertainties. Like Jeremiah, we are called to trust in God’s justice and providence, even when we feel misunderstood or persecuted. Like the crowd in the Gospel, we are invited to move beyond our biases and preconceptions, opening our hearts and minds to the truth. May we, like Nicodemus, who dared to question the assumptions of others, cultivate the courage to seek understanding and to follow God’s will, even when it goes against the opinions of the world. Let us pray for the grace to trust in God’s plan and to discern His voice in the midst of life’s challenges.