Daily Readings - Sun Mar 23 2025
Exodus
1Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.2And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.3And Moses said, "I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned."4When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am."5Then he said, "Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."6And he said, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God.7Then the LORD said, "I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings,8and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites.13Then Moses said to God, "If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?"14God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"15God also said to Moses, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.' This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.
1 Corinthians
1I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea,2and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,3and all ate the same spiritual food,4and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.5Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.6Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did.10nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer.11Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.12Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
Luke
1There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.2And he answered them, "Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way?3No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.4Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem?5No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish."6And he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.7And he said to the vinedresser, 'Look, for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground?'8And he answered him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure.9Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'"
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter three distinct yet interconnected messages that guide us in our faith journey. The first reading from Exodus recounts Moses' encounter with the burning bush, where God reveals Himself as "I AM WHO AM" and commissions Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. This moment underscores God's initiative in salvation and the call to trust in His presence, even in uncertain circumstances.
The second reading from 1 Corinthians serves as a cautionary tale, using the Israelites' wilderness experiences to warn against desires and murmuring. Paul emphasizes that their stories are examples for us, urging us to learn from the past and stand firm in faith. This reading highlights the importance of humility and gratitude, reminding us that our actions have consequences and that we must avoid the pitfalls of complacency.
In the Gospel, Luke presents Jesus' teachings on repentance and God's patience. Jesus uses tragic events and the parable of the fig tree to stress the need for amendment of life. This parable teaches us about God's patience and the opportunity for repentance, encouraging us to bear fruit in our lives.
Together, these readings remind us of God's active role in our lives, the importance of faithfulness, and the call to repentance. They invite us to reflect on our relationship with God, to learn from past mistakes, and to embrace the grace of repentance. Let us respond by deepening our trust in God, remaining vigilant in our faith, and bearing fruit in our lives, mindful of God's patience and the call to holiness.