Daily Readings - Sun Jun 03 2018
Exodus
3And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.4And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.5And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD.6And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.7And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.8And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.
Hebrews
11But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;12Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.13For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:14How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?15And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Mark
12And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?13And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.14And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?15And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.16And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.22And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.23And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.24And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.25Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.26And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
Sermon
The readings today guide us through a journey from the old covenant to the new, highlighting the profound shift brought by Christ's sacrifice. In Exodus, we witness Moses establishing a covenant with the Israelites, sealed with the blood of animals, symbolizing their commitment to God. This act was a sacred ritual, binding the people to follow God's laws and establishing a holy nation. The context of this reading is the giving of the Law at Sinai, where the Israelites agree to obey God, and Moses mediates this covenant through sacrifice.
Hebrews then elevates our understanding by introducing Christ as the ultimate High Priest. His sacrifice transcends the temporary rituals of the old covenant, offering eternal redemption through His own blood. This reading emphasizes the superiority of Christ's sacrifice, which purifies our consciences and enables us to serve God in a new way. The context here is the early Christian community, reassuring them of the lasting power of Christ's sacrifice compared to the repeated offerings of the old covenant.
In Mark's Gospel, we see the institution of the Eucharist during the Last Supper. Jesus transforms the Passover meal, declaring the bread as His body and the wine as His blood, ushering in the new covenant. This act reinterprets the old covenant, making His sacrifice the foundation of a new relationship with God. The context is Jesus preparing His disciples for His departure, leaving them with a sacrament that unites them with Him and with each other.
These readings connect by showing the progression from the old covenant, mediated by Moses and animal sacrifices, to the new covenant through Christ's ultimate sacrifice. The old covenant was a shadow of what was to come, fulfilled in Christ's offering. This transition invites us to reflect on how we live out the new covenant in our daily lives. Just as the Israelites were called to obedience, we are called to live in accordance with Christ's teachings, serving others and maintaining unity through the Eucharist.
In our daily lives, this means embracing a life of love and service, recognizing that our actions reflect our commitment to the new covenant. We are to be the body of Christ, working towards justice and compassion. The moral lesson here is the call to live as a community bound by love, just as Christ's blood binds us to Himself and to each other. Let us respond to this gift by living with gratitude, humility, and a deep commitment to our faith, remembering that we are part of a covenant that transcends time and space.