Daily Readings - Sat Sep 14 2024
First Reading - Numbers 21.4-9 or Philippians 2.6-11
Numbers
4From Mount Hor they set out by the way to the Red Sea, to go around the land of Edom. And the people became impatient on the way.5And the people spoke against God and against Moses, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? For there is no food and no water, and we loathe this worthless food."6Then the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, so that many people of Israel died.7And the people came to Moses and said, "We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD and against you. Pray to the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us." So Moses prayed for the people.8And the LORD said to Moses, "Make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole, and everyone who is bitten, when he sees it, shall live."9So Moses made a bronze serpent and set it on a pole. And if a serpent bit anyone, he would look at the bronze serpent and live.
Philippians
6who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,7but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.9Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,10so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,11and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
John
13No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up,15that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.16"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through two pivotal moments in scripture that weave together themes of salvation and divine love. The first reading from Numbers recounts the Israelites' desert ordeal, where their discontent led to a trial by fiery serpents. Moses intercedes, and God provides a bronze serpent, a symbol of healing for those who gaze upon it in faith. This ancient story sets the stage for the Gospel, where Jesus draws a profound parallel between the bronze serpent and Himself. He reveals that just as the serpent was lifted up to bring salvation, He too must be lifted up on the cross, offering eternal life to all who believe.
The connection between these readings is striking. The bronze serpent in the desert was not just a symbol of judgment but a testament to God's mercy. It required an act of faith from the Israelites to look upon it and be healed. Similarly, Jesus' crucifixion is an act of divine love, where faith in Him leads to eternal life. This interplay reminds us that our salvation is rooted in God's unwavering love, a love that transcends time and circumstance.
In our daily lives, we often face challenges that test our faith, much like the Israelites in the wilderness. The readings invite us to reflect on how we respond to these trials. Do we turn to God in trust, or do we let doubt and fear guide us? The bronze serpent and the cross both call us to trust in God's plan, even when the path is uncertain. By gazing upon Christ, the ultimate symbol of salvation, we find the strength to navigate life's hardships with faith and hope. Let us remember that God's love is ever-present, offering us healing and eternal life through Jesus Christ.