Daily Readings - Sun Mar 07 2021

¹And God spoke all these words, saying,²"I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.³"You shall have no other gods before me.⁷"You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.⁸"Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.¹²"Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.¹³"You shall not murder.¹⁴"You shall not commit adultery.¹⁵"You shall not steal.¹⁶"You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.¹⁷"You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male servant, or his female servant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbor's."

1 Corinthians

Chapter 1

¹⁸For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.²²For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,²³but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,²⁴but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.²⁵For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

John

Chapter 2

¹³The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.¹⁴In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there.¹⁵And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.¹⁶And he told those who sold the pigeons, "Take these things away; do not make my Father's house a house of trade."¹⁷His disciples remembered that it was written, "Zeal for your house will consume me."¹⁸So the Jews said to him, "What sign do you show us for doing these things?"¹⁹Jesus answered them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up."²⁰The Jews then said, "It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?"²¹But he was speaking about the temple of his body.²²When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.²³Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing.²⁴But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people²⁵and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

Sermon

In today's readings, we journey through three significant texts that weave together themes of divine guidance, wisdom, and redemption. The first reading from Exodus presents the Ten Commandments, a cornerstone of moral guidance given to the Israelites, establishing a covenant with God. These commandments are not just rules but a blueprint for a life aligned with God's will, fostering a community of love, respect, and justice. Paul's letter to the Corinthians shifts our focus to the nature of true wisdom. He contrasts human wisdom with God's, highlighting the crucified Christ as the epitome of divine wisdom. What seems foolish to the world—sacrificial love and humility—is, in fact, the power of God. This reminds us that our understanding is limited and that true wisdom comes from embracing the cross, where love triumphs over human folly. In John's Gospel, Jesus cleanses the temple, asserting His divine authority. His actions and words point to His resurrection, the ultimate act of love and redemption. This narrative invites us to reflect on our own temples—our hearts and lives—urging us to purify them, making space for God's presence. Just as Jesus transformed the temple, we are called to be transformed by His love and wisdom. In our daily lives, let us live by the Ten Commandments, not as constraints, but as guides toward a virtuous life. Let us embrace the wisdom of the cross, trusting in God's plan even when it seems perplexing. And let us allow Jesus to cleanse our hearts, making them temples of His love and light. Through this, we embody the wisdom and authority of Christ, living as His disciples in a world that often seeks fleeting wisdom. May we find strength in His resurrection, knowing that true transformation comes from His love and grace.