Daily Readings - Wed Apr 02 2025
Isaiah
8Thus says the LORD: "In a time of favor I have answered you; in a day of salvation I have helped you; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, to establish the land, to apportion the desolate heritages,9saying to the prisoners, 'Come out,' to those who are in darkness, 'Appear.' They shall feed along the ways; on all bare heights shall be their pasture;10they shall not hunger or thirst, neither scorching wind nor sun shall strike them, for he who has pity on them will lead them, and by springs of water will guide them.11And I will make all my mountains a road, and my highways shall be raised up.12Behold, these shall come from afar, and behold, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Syene."13Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing! for the LORD has comforted his people and will have compassion on his afflicted.14But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me; my Lord has forgotten me."15"Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.
John
16And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath.17But Jesus answered them, "My Father is working until now, and I am working."18This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.19So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.20For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel.21For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.22The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,23that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.24Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.25"Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.26For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.27And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.28Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice29and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.30"I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on God’s loving care for his people and the profound relationship between the Father and the Son. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear a beautiful expression of God’s compassion and faithfulness. Speaking through the prophet, God reassures his people that he has not abandoned them, even in their darkest moments. He promises to restore and renew them, offering them abundant life and freedom from the bonds that oppress them. This passage is set in the context of Israel’s exile, where the people felt forgotten and forsaken. Yet, Isaiah reminds them—and us—that God’s love is unwavering, like a mother’s love for her child, and that he will always provide for those who trust in him.
In the Gospel, Jesus deepens this theme by revealing the intimate unity between himself and the Father. He explains that his works are not his own but are the works of the Father, and that the Father has entrusted him with the power to give life and to judge. This teaching angered the Jews because it challenged their understanding of God and their traditions. Yet, Jesus’ words reveal the heart of his mission: to bring life and light to a world in darkness. Just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, Jesus, as the Son, shares in this divine work. His ultimate goal is to draw all people to the Father, that they might have eternal life.
These readings call us to trust in God’s loving plan, even when it seems unclear or challenging. Like the exiled Israelites, we may sometimes feel forgotten or lost, but God’s promise to us is the same: he will never forget us, and he will always provide for us. Jesus’ words remind us to look beyond our limited human perspectives and to embrace the truth that God’s ways are greater than our own. Let us open our hearts to the Father’s love, revealed through his Son, and allow ourselves to be transformed by the gift of eternal life that Jesus offers. May we, like Jesus, seek not our own will but the will of the One who sent us, trusting that his plan will lead us to true freedom and joy.