Daily Readings - Fri Jun 11 2021
Hosea
1When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and called my son out of Egypt.2As they called them, so they went from them: they sacrificed unto Baalim, and burned incense to graven images.3I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms; but they knew not that I healed them.4I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them.8How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? mine heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together.9I will not execute the fierceness of mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city.
Ephesians
8Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ;9And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:10To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,11According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord:12In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.14For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,15Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
John
31The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should not remain upon the cross on the sabbath day, (for that sabbath day was an high day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.32Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other which was crucified with him.33But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs:34But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.35And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.36For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.37And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.
Sermon
Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the boundless love and mercy of God, as well as our response to this divine gift. In the first reading from Hosea, we encounter a God who is deeply grieved by the infidelity of his people, yet remains steadfast in his love for them. Hosea uses the imagery of a parent’s love to describe God’s relationship with Israel, emphasizing that even when his children wander, he longs to heal and restore them. This passage reminds us that God’s love is not conditional or fleeting; it is a love that endures even in the face of rejection.
The second reading from Ephesians shifts our focus to the mystery of God’s plan to unite all people in Christ. Paul humbly acknowledges his role as a missionary to the Gentiles, yet he is filled with awe at the vastness of God’s wisdom and the depths of his love. He prays that we might come to know the immeasurable richness of Christ’s love, a love that transcends human understanding. This reading calls us to trust in God’s plan and to open our hearts to the transformative power of his grace.
In the Gospel, John’s account of Jesus’ crucifixion reveals the ultimate expression of God’s love. The piercing of Jesus’ side, from which blood and water flow, is a symbol of the life-giving sacraments of the Church and the endless mercy of God. The fulfillment of Scripture in this moment underscores the faithfulness of God’s plan. Just as the soldiers could not break Jesus’ bones, so too can nothing break the bond of God’s love for us.
These readings remind us that God’s love is not something we earn; it is a gift freely given, even when we fail to reciprocate it. As we go about our daily lives, let us strive to reflect this love in our actions and our relationships. May we, like Paul, trust in God’s plan and pray for the strength to live according to the fullness of his love. And may we, like the beloved disciple, bear witness to the truth of God’s mercy, so that others may come to know the depth of his love for them.