Daily Readings - Sat Mar 31 2018
First Reading - Genesis 1.1, 26-31a
Genesis
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Second Reading - Romans 6.3-11
Romans
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.For he that is dead is freed from sin.Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Gospel - Mark 16.1-8
Mark
And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey from creation to resurrection, tracing God's plan for humanity. The first reading from Genesis reminds us of our origin as beings created in God's image, entrusted with stewardship over the earth. This passage establishes our role as caretakers, reflecting God's love and wisdom in the world. The second reading from Romans shifts our focus to baptism, where we die to sin and rise anew in Christ. This spiritual rebirth calls us to live a life transformed by faith, no longer bound by sin but alive in God's grace. The Gospel from Mark culminates in the resurrection, where the women discover the empty tomb and receive the joyous news to spread. This moment is the pinnacle of God's plan, offering salvation and hope.
These readings interweave to reveal a narrative of creation, redemption, and mission. Genesis sets the stage with our original purpose, Romans reveals how Christ restores us, and Mark's Gospel commissions us to share this Good News. Together, they show how God's plan unfolds from creation to our call to live as new creations in Christ.
In daily life, this means embracing our role as stewards, living with purpose and integrity. We are called to spread the Gospel, not just in words, but through our actions and love. The resurrection reminds us of the power of faith and the hope it brings. Let us live as children of God, renewed and empowered, sharing the joy of Christ's victory over sin and death.