Daily Readings - Mon May 24 2021
First Reading - Genesis 3.9-15, 20 or Acts 1.12-14
Genesis
9And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?10And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.11And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?12And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.13And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.14And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.20And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.
Acts
12Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day's journey.13And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.14These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.
John
25Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.26When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!27Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the human condition, sin, and redemption. In the first reading from Genesis, we hear the story of Adam and Eve after they have eaten the forbidden fruit. Their fear and shame lead them to hide from God, and when questioned, they shift blame—to the serpent, to each other, and ultimately to God himself. This passage reveals the fundamental human tendency to avoid responsibility for our actions and the brokenness that sin introduces into relationships—between humanity and God, between man and woman, and between humanity and creation. The curse that follows is not just punishment but also a reminder of the consequences of sin and the ongoing struggle between good and evil.
In the Gospel, we see a very different scene. At the foot of the cross, Jesus, in his final moments, entrusts his mother to the care of the beloved disciple. This act of love and responsibility stands in stark contrast to the self-centeredness of Adam and Eve. While they were consumed by fear and blame-shifting, Jesus, even in his suffering, shows concern for others and creates a new family bound together by love and trust. This moment on Calvary is not just a personal gesture but a profound revelation of God’s plan to restore humanity and create a new kind of relationship—one rooted in self-giving love rather than self-preservation.
These readings remind us that sin isolates and divides, but love unites and heals. In our own lives, we are often tempted to shift blame or hide from our failures, just as Adam and Eve did. But Jesus shows us a different way—a way of taking responsibility, loving without condition, and trusting in God’s plan. Let us ask for the grace to imitate Jesus’ selfless love and to build relationships that reflect the unity and trust he modeled, even in the face of suffering.