Daily Readings - Sun Apr 05 2020
Isaiah
4The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.5The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward.6I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting.7But the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.
Philippians
6who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,7but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.9Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Matthew
11Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You have said so."12But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer.13Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?"14But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.15Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted.16And they had then a notorious prisoner called Barabbas.17So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?"18For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up.19Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream."20Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and destroy Jesus.21The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barabbas."22Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!"23And he said, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Let him be crucified!"24So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves."25And all the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!"26Then he released for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified.27Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him.28And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him,29and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"30And they spit on him and took the reed and struck him on the head.31And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe and put his own clothes on him and led him away to crucify him.32As they went out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. They compelled this man to carry his cross.33And when they came to a place called Golgotha (which means Place of a Skull),34they offered him wine to drink, mixed with gall, but when he tasted it, he would not drink it.35And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots.36Then they sat down and kept watch over him there.37And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews."38Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left.39And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads40and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross."41So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying,42"He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.43He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him. For he said, 'I am the Son of God.'"44And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.45Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour.46And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"47And some of the bystanders, hearing it, said, "This man is calling Elijah."48And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine, and put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink.49But the others said, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to save him."50And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit.51And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.52The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised,53and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.54When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound reflections on humility, obedience, and redemption. The first reading from Isaiah portrays a figure who, despite suffering, remains steadfast in trust and obedience to God. This figure, often seen as a prefiguration of Christ, embodies the spirit of endurance and faith in the face of adversity. The second reading from Philippians beautifully complements this with its hymn to Christ’s humility. It reminds us that Jesus, though divine, emptied Himself to take on human form and endure death on the Cross, an act of profound love and obedience. The Gospel, from Matthew, vividly recounts the Passion of Jesus, where He endures betrayal, mockery, and crucifixion. These readings together invite us to reflect on the transformative power of humility and selfless love.
The context of these readings is deeply rooted in the salvific mission of Christ. Isaiah’s prophecy sets the stage for understanding Jesus as the Suffering Servant, who bears the sins of many. Philippians provides a theological reflection on the significance of Christ’s humility and its ultimate glorification. The Passion narrative in Matthew is the dramatic fulfillment of these prophecies and hymns, showing how Jesus’s obedience unto death becomes the source of salvation. Together, these readings reveal how suffering, when united with love and obedience, leads to redemption and glory.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to embrace humility and trust in God’s plan, even in the face of suffering or uncertainty. Jesus’s willingness to endure the Cross for our sake challenges us to live with selfless love and to see our struggles as opportunities to grow closer to Him. Let us reflect on how we might imitate Christ’s humility in our own lives, whether in relationships, work, or prayer. May we, like Him, set our faces “like a hard rock” in resolve to follow God’s will, trusting that our trials can lead to transformation and grace.