Daily Readings - Thu Mar 31 2022
Exodus
7And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:8They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.9And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:10Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.11And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?12Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.13Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.14And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
John
18Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.31If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.32There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.33Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.34But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.35He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.36But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.37And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.38And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.39Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.40And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.41I receive not honour from men.42But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.43I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.44How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?45Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.46For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.47But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful moments of faith and unbelief. The first reading from Exodus tells the story of the Israelites’ rebellion against God while Moses is on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments. The people, impatient and fearful, turn to a golden calf, worshipping it as their savior. Their actions are a stark rejection of the God who had just delivered them from slavery in Egypt. Moses, however, stands as a mediator, pleading with God to spare His people, reminding Him of His promises to their ancestors. This passage highlights the tension between human weakness and God’s steadfast love, as well as the importance of intercession and trust in God’s faithfulness.
The Gospel reading from John presents a similar dynamic of belief and unbelief, but in a very different context. Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees, who are determined to kill Him because of His claims to divine sonship and His works, which they see as violations of the Sabbath. Jesus defends Himself by pointing to the testimony of John the Baptist, the works He performs, and the Father’s own witness. He laments that while the Pharisees study the Scriptures, they fail to recognize Him as the fulfillment of those Scriptures. This passage underscores the theme of spiritual blindness and the importance of seeking God’s glory rather than human approval.
Both readings invite us to reflect on our own relationship with God. The Israelites in Exodus turned to a false god because they lost sight of the true God who had delivered them. Similarly, the Pharisees in John failed to recognize Jesus because they were more committed to their own interpretations of the law than to seeking the truth. For us, this means being mindful of the ways we might turn away from God—whether through idolatry, spiritual complacency, or a refusal to see God’s presence in our lives. Like Moses, we are called to intercede for others and to trust in God’s promises, even when the world around us seems to have lost its way. And like Jesus, we are called to seek God’s glory and to open our hearts to the truth, even when it challenges our assumptions. May we, like the faithful remnant in both readings, remain steadfast in our commitment to God, trusting in His love and mercy, even when the world around us falters.