Daily Readings - Sun Mar 26 2023
Ezekiel
12Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.13And ye shall know that I am the LORD, when I have opened your graves, O my people, and brought you up out of your graves,14And shall put my spirit in you, and ye shall live, and I shall place you in your own land: then shall ye know that I the LORD have spoken it, and performed it, saith the LORD.
Romans
8So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.10And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.11But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
John
3Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick.4When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.5Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus.6When he had heard therefore that he was sick, he abode two days still in the same place where he was.7Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.17Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already.20Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house.21Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.22But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.23Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.24Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.25Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:26And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?27She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.33When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled,34And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.35Jesus wept.36Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!37And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?38Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.39Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.40Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?41Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.42And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.43And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.44And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.45Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful themes of resurrection, the Holy Spirit, and unwavering faith. The first reading from Ezekiel presents a vivid prophecy where God promises to open the tombs of His people, restoring their spirit and leading them back to their homeland. This vision symbolizes the resurrection and the infusion of the Holy Spirit, offering hope to a nation in exile.
The second reading from Romans shifts focus to the internal struggle between the flesh and the Spirit. Paul emphasizes that those led by the Spirit are children of God, with the promise that the same Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead will enliven our mortal bodies. This assurance underscores the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
The Gospel narrative of Lazarus's resurrection vividly illustrates Jesus's divine authority over death. Martha's exchange with Jesus highlights her faith and the promise of eternal life through belief in Him. This miracle not only demonstrates Jesus's power but also deepens the disciples' and crowd's faith, leading many to believe in Him.
These readings intertwine to reveal the progression of God's plan—from Ezekiel's prophecy of resurrection to its fulfillment in Jesus's miracles and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as described by Paul. They remind us to live with hope, trusting in God's power over death and sin. The moral lesson is clear: our faith in Jesus offers us eternal life, and through the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to live beyond the confines of our mortal flesh. Let us embrace this hope, living each day with the confidence of resurrection and the presence of the Holy Spirit.