Daily Readings - Tue Apr 13 2021
Acts
32And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.33And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.34Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,35And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.36And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,37Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
John
7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.8The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.9Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?10Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?11Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.12If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?13And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Sermon
The first reading from Acts describes the early Christian community, where believers shared everything in common, living with unity and generosity. This was not a communism forced by rule, but a free and joyful sharing inspired by their faith in the Resurrection of Jesus. The Apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, testified to the power of Christ, and the community ensured that no one was in need. Barnabas, a Levite from Cyprus, exemplifies this spirit of selflessness by selling his land and giving the proceeds to the Apostles to support the community. This passage highlights the transformative power of faith and the call to live as one family in Christ.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to Nicodemus about the necessity of being "born anew" by the Spirit. Just as the Spirit moves freely, so too must our hearts be open to God’s grace. Jesus uses the image of the bronze serpent lifted up by Moses in the desert—a prefiguration of his own crucifixion—to illustrate how salvation comes through faith in him. The passage emphasizes that faith is not about understanding everything but trusting in God’s love and plan. Jesus’ words challenge Nicodemus, and us, to move beyond earthly thinking and embrace the heavenly reality of God’s love.
Both readings invite us to reflect on how we live out our faith. The early Christians in Acts show us that living as followers of Christ means sharing our lives and resources with others. The Gospel reminds us that this way of life is only possible when we are spiritually reborn, open to the Holy Spirit, and willing to trust in God’s plan. In our daily lives, we are called to imitate this selfless love and generosity, to trust in God’s providence, and to live as a community united in faith. Let us ask the Spirit to inspire us to live with such freedom and joy, that we might be witnesses to the power of Christ’s love in the world.