Daily Readings - Wed Apr 30 2025
Acts
17But the high priest rose up, and all who were with him (that is, the party of the Sadducees), and filled with jealousy18they arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison.19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said,20"Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this Life."21And when they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.Now when the high priest came, and those who were with him, they called together the council and all the senate of Israel and sent to the prison to have them brought.22But when the officers came, they did not find them in the prison, so they returned and reported,23"We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them we found no one inside."24Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were greatly perplexed about them, wondering what this would come to.25And someone came and told them, "Look! The men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people."26Then the captain with the officers went and brought them, but not by force, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people.
John
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.18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.19And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.20For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.21But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been carried out in God."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on the nature of faith, obedience, and the eternal struggle between light and darkness. The first reading from Acts recounts the Apostles’ miraculous escape from prison, where an angel of the Lord frees them to continue their mission of preaching the Gospel. Despite the authorities’ attempts to silence them, the Apostles remain steadfast in their obedience to God, even in the face of persecution. The Gospel from John, on the other hand, presents us with one of the most profound expressions of God’s love: the gift of His only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. This passage reminds us that God’s desire is not to condemn the world but to save it, yet it also warns that those who reject the light of truth will dwell in darkness.
The readings are deeply connected in their emphasis on the tension between human resistance to God’s will and the unstoppable power of divine love. In Acts, the Sadducees and temple authorities represent the forces of opposition to the Gospel, yet they are no match for the divine plan. Similarly, in John’s Gospel, the world is divided between those who embrace the light of Christ and those who prefer the darkness of sin. Both readings call us to consider where we stand in this spiritual divide. Are we among those who cling to the light, even when it challenges us, or do we find comfort in the shadows of our own making?
As we apply these readings to our daily lives, we are reminded that faith is not a passive belief but an active commitment to living in the light of Christ. Just as the Apostles continued to preach despite imprisonment, we too must remain faithful in the face of trials and setbacks. The moral lesson here is clear: God’s love is always available to us, but we must choose to accept it and live according to His truth. Let us ask ourselves: Are we willing to stand firm in our faith, even when the world around us seems hostile? Do we trust in God’s plan, even when the path ahead is uncertain? May we, like the Apostles, be courageous in our witness and may we, like the Father, love without condition, that we might walk ever more closely in the light of His Son, Jesus Christ.