Daily Readings - Sat Mar 23 2024
Ezekiel
21then say to them, Thus says the Lord GOD: Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land.22And I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. And one king shall be king over them all, and they shall be no longer two nations, and no longer divided into two kingdoms.23They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. But I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God.24"My servant David shall be king over them, and they shall all have one shepherd. They shall walk in my rules and be careful to obey my statutes.25They shall dwell in the land that I gave to my servant Jacob, where your fathers lived. They and their children and their children's children shall dwell there forever, and David my servant shall be their prince forever.26I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore.27My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.28Then the nations will know that I am the LORD who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore."
John
45Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him,46but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done.47So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the Council and said, "What are we to do? For this man performs many signs.48If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation."49But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, "You know nothing at all.50Nor do you understand that it is better for you that one man should die for the people, not that the whole nation should perish."51He did not say this of his own accord, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation,52and not for the nation only, but also to gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.53So from that day on they made plans to put him to death.54Jesus therefore no longer walked openly among the Jews, but went from there to the region near the wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, and there he stayed with the disciples.55Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover to purify themselves.56They were looking for Jesus and saying to one another as they stood in the temple, "What do you think? That he will not come to the feast at all?"
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound narratives that illuminate God's plan of salvation and unity. The first reading from Ezekiel 37:21-28 presents a vision of restoration where God gathers the scattered Israelites, uniting them under one king and cleansing them from sin. This prophecy signifies hope and renewal, emphasizing God's covenant with His people. The second reading, John 11:45-56, shifts to the events leading to Jesus' crucifixion. The Pharisees, fearing loss of power, conspire against Jesus, and Caiaphas unwittingly prophesies that Jesus' death will unite all God's children. This passage underscores the sacrificial nature of Jesus' mission.
Ezekiel's context is one of exile and despair, offering a message of future restoration. In contrast, John's narrative is set amidst growing opposition to Jesus, highlighting the tension between human plotting and divine purpose. Both readings converge on the theme of unity—Ezekiel's united Israel and the universal unity through Jesus' sacrifice. This unity is not merely physical but spiritual, reflecting God's desire to bring all people together.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to embrace unity and trust in God's providence. Just as Ezekiel's prophecy inspired hope, we too can find hope in God's plan. Jesus' sacrifice teaches us the value of selfless love and the importance of unity over division. As we navigate our own challenges, let us strive to be instruments of unity, reflecting God's love and trusting in His plan, even when circumstances seem uncertain. May we find strength in the knowledge that God's plan is always one of restoration and unity.