Daily Readings - Thu Apr 07 2022
Genesis
3Then Abram fell on his face. And God said to him,4"Behold, my covenant is with you, and you shall be the father of a multitude of nations.5No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham, for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.6I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make you into nations, and kings shall come from you.7And I will establish my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.8And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God."9And God said to Abraham, "As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations.
John
51Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."52The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon! Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, 'If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.'53Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to be?"54Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, 'He is our God.'55But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word.56Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad."57So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?"58Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am."59So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound moments of divine revelation. The first reading from Genesis describes the moment when Abram, a man of deep faith, is renamed Abraham by God. This name change signifies a covenant promise: Abraham will be the father of many nations, and God will be his God and the God of his descendants. The covenant is sealed with a promise of land and perpetual relationship, a bond that transcends generations. This moment is not just a personal promise but a universal one, as Abraham’s faith becomes the foundation of a people and a spiritual heritage that endures to this day.
In the Gospel, Jesus engages in a deeply theological conversation with the Jews, asserting that those who keep His word will never see death. This claim shocks His listeners, who question how someone they perceive as a contemporary could make such a statement, especially when their great ancestors like Abraham and the prophets have all died. Jesus responds by revealing His eternal nature, stating that before Abraham was, He is. This statement is a bold declaration of His divinity and His unity with the Father. For Jesus, the covenant with Abraham is not just a historical event but a living reality that finds its ultimate fulfillment in Himself.
These readings invite us to reflect on the nature of covenant and faith. Abraham trusted in God’s promise without fully understanding its scope, and his faith was reckoned as righteousness. Similarly, Jesus calls us to trust in His word, even when it challenges our limited understanding. The covenant with Abraham is not just a historical event but a spiritual reality that continues in us. As followers of Christ, we are called to live as children of the covenant, trusting in God’s promises and living in a way that reflects our identity as His people. Let us, like Abraham, rejoice in the day of the Lord, knowing that we are part of a story much larger than ourselves.