Daily Readings - Fri May 03 2024
1 Corinthians
1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:5And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:6After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.7After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.8And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
John
6Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.7If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.8Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.9Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?10Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.11Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.12Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.13And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.14If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the heart of our Christian faith: the resurrection of Jesus Christ and His divine relationship with the Father. The first reading from 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 emphasizes the core of the Gospel: Christ’s death for our sins, His burial, and His resurrection on the third day. Paul underscores the importance of this message, noting that over 500 people witnessed the risen Christ, and even he, as an unlikely apostle, encountered Him. This passage reminds us that our faith stands on the foundation of Christ’s resurrection, which is not just a historical event but a living truth that transforms us.
In the Gospel, John 14:6-14, Jesus reveals Himself as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, the only path to the Father. He assures His disciples that seeing Him is seeing the Father, for He and the Father are one. Jesus invites us to trust in this union, to believe in Him, and to do even greater works through the power of the Holy Spirit. This passage invites us to deepen our relationship with Christ, to seek the Father through Him, and to live in the confidence that we are called to continue His mission in the world.
These readings are deeply connected. The resurrection of Christ, as Paul emphasizes, is the proof of God’s power and love, and it is through this resurrected Christ that we come to know the Father. Jesus’ words in John remind us that our faith is not just about believing in a historical event but about living in a personal relationship with the living God. As we go about our daily lives, let us remember that the resurrection of Christ is not just a past event but a present reality that gives us hope and strength. Let us ask ourselves: Do we truly believe in the power of the resurrection? Do we live as people who have seen the Father in Christ? May we allow the truth of these readings to transform us, so that we may bear witness to the Gospel in our words and actions, and may we always seek to glorify the Father through our lives.