Daily Readings - Sat Mar 30 2024
Genesis
1In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.28And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.29And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat.30And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so.31And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.
Romans
3Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.5For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:6Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.7For he that is dead is freed from sin.8Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:9Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.10For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.11Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Mark
1And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.2And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun.3And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?4And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.5And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.6And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him.7But go your way, tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.8And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.
Sermon
The readings today take us on a journey from creation to resurrection, inviting us to reflect on our identity, purpose, and ultimate hope. In the first reading from Genesis, we hear the beautiful account of God creating humanity in his own image and likeness. This passage reminds us of our inherent dignity and the special place we hold in God’s creation. We are called to steward the earth and all its creatures, not as masters who exploit, but as caretakers who honor the divine plan. The second reading from Romans deepens this understanding by revealing that our true identity is not just as creatures of God but as children of God, baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection. Through baptism, we die to sin and rise to new life, freed from the slavery of sin and called to live for God. The Gospel from Mark then brings us to the empty tomb, where the young man in white proclaims the Good News: Jesus has risen. The women, filled with fear and trembling, are sent to tell the disciples, embodying the Church’s mission to proclaim the Resurrection to the world.
These readings are deeply interconnected. In Genesis, we see the beginning of God’s plan for humanity. In Romans, we understand that this plan reaches its fulfillment in Christ, who through his death and resurrection, restores us to a new life. The Gospel of Mark then shows us the culmination of this plan in the Resurrection, which is the source of our hope and joy. Together, these readings remind us that we are not just creatures but sons and daughters of God, called to live in the light of the Resurrection.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to live with a sense of purpose and hope. We are called to recognize our dignity as children of God and to live in a way that reflects this identity. We are to care for creation, to live free from sin, and to share the Good News of the Resurrection with others. The moral lesson is clear: we are not defined by our past sins or failures but by our new life in Christ. Let us, therefore, rise with him, walk in the light of his truth, and proclaim his victory over death to a world in need of hope.