Daily Readings - Tue May 28 2024

¹⁰Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully,¹¹inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.¹²It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.¹³Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.¹⁴As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,¹⁵but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,¹⁶since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."

Mark

Chapter 10

²⁸Peter began to say to him, "See, we have left everything and followed you."²⁹Jesus said, "Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel,³⁰who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.³¹But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

Sermon

In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the themes of sacrifice, faith, and the call to holiness. The first reading from 1 Peter reminds us that the prophets of old sought to understand the salvation we now know through Christ. Their ministry, though not for their own benefit, laid the groundwork for the Gospel we preach today. Peter urges us to live with minds girded for action, hoping in the grace revealed through Jesus, and to be holy as God is holy. The Gospel from Mark presents a conversation where Peter highlights the sacrifices made by the disciples, leaving behind all they had to follow Jesus. Jesus assures them that their sacrifices will be abundantly rewarded, both in this life and the next. However, He also reminds us that the first will be last and the last first, challenging our notions of status and reward. These readings intertwine the call to live sacrificially and pursue holiness. In our daily lives, this means prioritizing our faith in our decisions and actions. We can apply this by embracing challenges as opportunities to grow closer to God and serving others selflessly. The moral lesson here is one of trust and integrity—trusting in God's plan and living in a way that reflects His holiness. Let us strive to live with purpose and integrity, knowing that our sacrifices contribute to a greater purpose.