Daily Readings - Sun Mar 18 2018
First Reading - Jeremiah 31.31-34
Jeremiah
31Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:32Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:33But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.34And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.
Second Reading - Hebrews 5.7-9
Hebrews
7Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;8Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;9And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
Gospel - John 12.20-33
John
20And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast:21The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.22Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again Andrew and Philip tell Jesus.23And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.24Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.25He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal.26If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.27Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.28Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.29The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spake to him.30Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.31Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.32And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.33This he said, signifying what death he should die.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound reflections on covenant, obedience, and the transformative power of self-giving love. The first reading from Jeremiah speaks of a new covenant, one that will be written not on stone tablets but on the hearts of God’s people. This covenant is not about external rules but an interior transformation, where God’s law becomes the very fabric of who we are. The second reading from Hebrews deepens this theme by showing us Jesus, who, though the Son of God, learned obedience through suffering. His prayers, offered with tears and cries, were heard because of his reverence, and through his obedience, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who follow him. In the Gospel, John presents Jesus in the moments leading up to his Passion, where he speaks of his glorification through death. Jesus compares himself to a grain of wheat that must fall to the ground and die to bear fruit, teaching us that true life comes through self-sacrifice. The voice from heaven confirms that this moment of glorification is not just for Jesus but for the world, as it marks the defeat of sin and the drawing of all people to himself.
These readings are deeply interconnected. Jeremiah’s promise of a new covenant finds its fulfillment in Jesus, who, as the new Adam, establishes a covenant of love and obedience. The letter to the Hebrews shows us how Jesus, in his humanity, embraced this covenant through his suffering, making him the perfect mediator between God and humanity. In John’s Gospel, we see the culmination of this covenant in Jesus’ willingness to lay down his life, an act that draws all people to himself and defeats the power of sin. Together, these readings reveal that God’s plan of salvation is rooted in love, obedience, and self-giving.
As we reflect on these readings, we are invited to examine our own lives. Are we living according to the new covenant, with God’s law written on our hearts? Do we embrace obedience as a path to union with God, even when it involves suffering? Are we willing to let go of our own desires and ambitions, like the grain of wheat, so that we might bear fruit for others? Jesus’ words remind us that true greatness is found in service and sacrifice. In a world often driven by self-interest and division, we are called to be witnesses of a different way of life—one rooted in love, humility, and trust in God’s plan. Let us ask for the grace to follow Jesus, to embrace the cross, and to allow our lives to be transformed by the power of his love.