Daily Readings - Mon May 24 2021
First Reading - Genesis 3.9-15, 20 or Acts 1.12-14
Genesis
9But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, "Where are you?"10And he said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself."11He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?"12The man said, "The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate."13Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this that you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."14The LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field; on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.15I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."20The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.
Acts
12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey away.13And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.14All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
John
25but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.26When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!"27Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the human condition, sin, and redemption. In the first reading from Genesis, we hear the story of Adam and Eve after they have eaten the forbidden fruit. Their fear and shame lead them to hide from God, and when questioned, they shift blame—to the serpent, to each other, and ultimately to God himself. This passage reveals the fundamental human tendency to avoid responsibility for our actions and the brokenness that sin introduces into relationships—between humanity and God, between man and woman, and between humanity and creation. The curse that follows is not just punishment but also a reminder of the consequences of sin and the ongoing struggle between good and evil.
In the Gospel, we see a very different scene. At the foot of the cross, Jesus, in his final moments, entrusts his mother to the care of the beloved disciple. This act of love and responsibility stands in stark contrast to the self-centeredness of Adam and Eve. While they were consumed by fear and blame-shifting, Jesus, even in his suffering, shows concern for others and creates a new family bound together by love and trust. This moment on Calvary is not just a personal gesture but a profound revelation of God’s plan to restore humanity and create a new kind of relationship—one rooted in self-giving love rather than self-preservation.
These readings remind us that sin isolates and divides, but love unites and heals. In our own lives, we are often tempted to shift blame or hide from our failures, just as Adam and Eve did. But Jesus shows us a different way—a way of taking responsibility, loving without condition, and trusting in God’s plan. Let us ask for the grace to imitate Jesus’ selfless love and to build relationships that reflect the unity and trust he modeled, even in the face of suffering.