Daily Readings - Wed Apr 03 2019
Isaiah
8Thus saith the LORD, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee: and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages;9That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.10They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them.11And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways shall be exalted.12Behold, these shall come from far: and, lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of Sinim.13Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.14But Zion said, The LORD hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.15Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.
John
16And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.17But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.18Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.19Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.20For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.21For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.22For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:23That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.24Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.25Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.26For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself;27And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.28Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,29And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.30I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful expressions of God’s love and care for His people, as well as the profound unity and authority of Jesus Christ. The first reading from Isaiah paints a vivid picture of God’s providence and consolation. Speaking to a people in exile, Isaiah reassures them that God has not forgotten them. He describes how God will gather His scattered people, feed them, and guide them, even in the darkest of times. Zion, though feeling abandoned, is reminded that God’s love is far greater than any human love; even if a mother could forget her child, God never forgets His own.
The Gospel reading from John deepens this theme of divine love and care, but it also introduces a note of tension. Jesus, accused by the Pharisees for working on the Sabbath, defends His actions by revealing His intimate relationship with the Father. He explains that He does nothing on His own, but only what He sees the Father doing. This unity with the Father is the source of His authority to give life and to judge. Jesus emphasizes that His works are not His own, but the Father’s, and that those who honor Him honor the Father who sent Him. He also speaks of a time when the dead will hear His voice and come to life, a promise that extends beyond physical resurrection to the spiritual life He offers even now.
These readings invite us to reflect on our relationship with God and our trust in His providence. Like the exiled Israelites, we may sometimes feel forgotten or abandoned, but God’s love is unfailing. Like the Pharisees, we may question God’s ways or resist His truth, but Jesus reveals that His works are a manifestation of the Father’s love and will. Let us ask ourselves: Do we trust in God’s plan, even when it seems unclear? Do we honor Jesus as the Son of God, and do we listen to His voice, which calls us from death to life? May we find hope in God’s promises and may we live in the light of His truth, knowing that He is always working for our good.