Daily Readings - Wed Apr 27 2022
Acts
17Then the high priest rose up, and all they that were with him, (which is the sect of the Sadducees,) and were filled with indignation,18And laid their hands on the apostles, and put them in the common prison.19But the angel of the Lord by night opened the prison doors, and brought them forth, and said,20Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.21And when they heard that, they entered into the temple early in the morning, and taught. But the high priest came, and they that were with him, and called the council together, and all the senate of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.22But when the officers came, and found them not in the prison, they returned, and told,23Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within.24Now when the high priest and the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these things, they doubted of them whereunto this would grow.25Then came one and told them, saying, Behold, the men whom ye put in prison are standing in the temple, and teaching the people.26Then went the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
John
16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.19And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.20For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.21But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
Sermon
The first reading from Acts tells the story of the Apostles being imprisoned by the Sadducees, only to be miraculously freed by an angel of the Lord. Despite the authorities' attempts to silence them, the Apostles are found teaching in the temple the next morning. This passage highlights the early Christian community's courage and obedience to God's will, even in the face of persecution. The Gospel reading from John is one of the most famous passages in Scripture, John 3:16, which speaks of God's immense love for the world and the gift of eternal life through belief in Jesus Christ. It also contrasts light and darkness, emphasizing that those who reject the light do so because their deeds are evil, while those who act in truth are drawn to the light.
The readings are connected by the theme of obedience to God's will and the struggle between light and darkness. In Acts, the Apostles obey God's command to preach, even when it means defying human authority. In John's Gospel, Jesus speaks of the ultimate act of obedience—God sending His Son to save the world. Both readings remind us that following God often requires standing against the forces of darkness, whether they take the form of religious persecution or the pull of sin in our own lives.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to reflect on where we stand in the struggle between light and darkness. Are we courageous in sharing the Gospel, even when it is uncomfortable or unpopular? Do we act in truth, allowing God's light to shine through our actions? The moral lesson here is clear: our faith must be lived out in obedience to God, even when it challenges us. Like the Apostles, we are called to stand firm in our commitment to Christ, trusting that God's grace will see us through any trial. Let us embrace the light of Christ and allow it to guide us in all we do.