Daily Readings - Sun Mar 21 2021
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.
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;
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
The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound mystery of God’s covenant with humanity and the transformative power of self-giving love. In the first reading from Jeremiah, we hear of a new covenant—one that will be written not on stone tablets but on the hearts of God’s people. This covenant is rooted in forgiveness and intimacy, where all will know the Lord without needing to be taught. It speaks of a deep interior transformation, where God’s law becomes the very fabric of our being. This passage is set in the context of Israel’s history, where the old covenant had been broken, but God promises something new and everlasting.
The second reading from Hebrews shifts our focus to Jesus, who as the Son of God, learned obedience through suffering. His prayers and tears demonstrate his humanity, but his ultimate obedience leads to eternal salvation for all. This passage emphasizes that Jesus’ journey of suffering was not in vain; it was the path to glorification and the source of salvation. It reminds us that true leadership and service are rooted in humility and sacrifice.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of his own glorification through death, using the metaphor of the grain of wheat that must fall to the ground and die to bear fruit. This is a call to radical self-giving, where loving one’s life means losing it for the sake of eternal life. The voice from heaven confirms that Jesus’ mission is to draw all people to himself, and his death on the cross will be the ultimate act of love that overcomes the world.
These readings are deeply connected, as they all point to the new covenant fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Jeremiah’s promise of a covenant written on the heart is realized in Jesus, who through his obedience and sacrifice, draws all people to himself. The moral lesson here is clear: true life comes through self-giving love and surrender to God’s will. Just as Jesus had to let go of his life to fulfill his mission, we too are called to let go of our own desires and fears, trusting that in doing so, we will find true life and purpose. May we open our hearts to the transformative power of God’s covenant, embracing the cross as the path to resurrection and eternal life.