Daily Readings - Sat Nov 02 2019
Job
1Then Job answered and said,23Oh that my words were now written! oh that they were printed in a book!24That they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the rock for ever!25For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:26And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:27Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.
1 Corinthians
20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.21For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.23But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.
John
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.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter profound reflections on hope, resurrection, and self-sacrifice. The first reading from Job presents a man in the depths of suffering, yet unwavering in his faith. Job clings to the hope of a Redeemer who will one day raise him from the dead, a hope that transcends his current anguish. This passage, written in a time of great personal trial, highlights Job's unshakable trust in God's promise of redemption.
In the second reading, St. Paul writes to the Corinthians about the resurrection of Christ, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep. Paul explains that just as death came through Adam, so too has the resurrection come through Christ. This passage serves as a theological foundation for our Christian hope, reminding us that our resurrection is inextricably linked to Christ's. We are called to live in the hope of eternal life, knowing that our ultimate destiny is to rise with Him.
In the Gospel, Jesus uses the metaphor of the grain of wheat to teach about the necessity of self-sacrifice. He says that unless the wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies, it bears much fruit. This is both a call to discipleship and a reminder that true life comes through surrender. Jesus is not speaking of physical death but of dying to oneself—letting go of selfish desires and ambitions for the sake of following Him.
These readings are deeply interconnected. Job's hope in the Redeemer, Paul's teaching on the resurrection, and Jesus' call to self-sacrifice all point to the same truth: our ultimate victory over death and sin comes through Christ. Job's faith in the midst of suffering, Paul's theological clarity, and Jesus' call to radical discipleship all invite us to live with eyes fixed on eternal life.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Where am I placing my hope? Am I willing to let go of my own desires and ambitions to follow Christ? The promise of resurrection is not just a future reality but a present one. By dying to ourselves daily, we can already begin to experience the fruitfulness of eternal life. May we, like Job, hold fast to our hope in the Redeemer, and may we, like Christ, be willing to surrender for the sake of others, trusting that in doing so, we will find true life.