Daily Readings - Sun Jun 15 2025
Proverbs
22"The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.23Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.24When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.25Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth,26before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.27When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,28when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,29when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,30then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,31rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.
Romans
1Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.2Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.3More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,5and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
John
12"I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.13When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.14He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.15All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the deep relationship between wisdom, faith, and the Holy Spirit. In the first reading from Proverbs, we encounter the personification of Wisdom, who describes herself as being present with God from the beginning of creation. Wisdom is not just an abstract concept but a living, dynamic force that delights in the creation of the world and in being with the sons of men. This passage reminds us that God’s wisdom is not something distant or incomprehensible but is intimately involved in the world and in our lives.
The second reading from Romans connects this idea of wisdom to the gift of faith. Paul explains that through faith, we have been justified and brought into a relationship of peace with God. He emphasizes that even in the midst of tribulation, we can find hope because tribulation leads to patience, patience to proving, and proving to hope. This hope is not based on wishful thinking but on the love of God that has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the guarantee of God’s presence and love in our lives, even in the midst of challenges.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks about the role of the Holy Spirit, whom he calls the Spirit of truth. The Spirit will guide us to the fullness of truth and will glorify Jesus by taking what is his and announcing it to us. This passage underscores the Spirit’s role in revealing God’s plan and truth to us. Together, these readings highlight the interconnectedness of wisdom, faith, and the Holy Spirit. Wisdom is the divine plan of God, faith is our response to that plan, and the Holy Spirit is the one who guides us, strengthens us, and reveals the truth to us.
As we reflect on these readings, we are called to trust in the Holy Spirit’s guidance in our lives. Just as Wisdom was present at the creation of the world, the Spirit is present in our lives, helping us to navigate the challenges we face. Let us embrace the hope that comes from knowing that we are not alone, for the Spirit of truth is always with us, leading us closer to God. May we, like Wisdom, find joy in being with others and may we, through faith, allow the Spirit to pour God’s love into our hearts, transforming us and drawing us deeper into the life of God.