Daily Readings - Fri May 03 2024
1 Corinthians
1Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand,2and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you--unless you believed in vain.3For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,5and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.6Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.8Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
John
6Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.7If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."8Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us."9Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?10Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.11Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.12"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.13Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.14If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the heart of our Christian faith: the resurrection of Jesus Christ and His divine relationship with the Father. The first reading from 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 emphasizes the core of the Gospel: Christ’s death for our sins, His burial, and His resurrection on the third day. Paul underscores the importance of this message, noting that over 500 people witnessed the risen Christ, and even he, as an unlikely apostle, encountered Him. This passage reminds us that our faith stands on the foundation of Christ’s resurrection, which is not just a historical event but a living truth that transforms us.
In the Gospel, John 14:6-14, Jesus reveals Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the only path to the Father. He assures His disciples that seeing Him is seeing the Father, for He and the Father are one. Jesus invites us to trust in this union, to believe in Him, and to do even greater works through the power of the Holy Spirit. This passage invites us to deepen our relationship with Christ, to seek the Father through Him, and to live in the confidence that we are called to continue His mission in the world.
These readings are deeply connected. The resurrection of Christ, as Paul emphasizes, is the proof of God’s power and love, and it is through this resurrected Christ that we come to know the Father. Jesus’ words in John remind us that our faith is not just about believing in a historical event but about living in a personal relationship with the living God. As we go about our daily lives, let us remember that the resurrection of Christ is not just a past event but a present reality that gives us hope and strength. Let us ask ourselves: Do we truly believe in the power of the resurrection? Do we live as people who have seen the Father in Christ? May we allow the truth of these readings to transform us, so that we may bear witness to the Gospel in our words and actions, and may we always seek to glorify the Father through our lives.