Daily Readings - Wed Jun 05 2024

¹Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, according to the promise of life which is in Christ Jesus,²To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.³I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;⁶Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.⁷For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.⁸Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;⁹Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,¹⁰But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel:¹¹Whereunto I am appointed a preacher, and an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.¹²For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Mark

Chapter 12

¹⁸Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no resurrection; and they asked him, saying,¹⁹Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man's brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.²⁰Now there were seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and dying left no seed.²¹And the second took her, and died, neither left he any seed: and the third likewise.²²And the seven had her, and left no seed: last of all the woman died also.²³In the resurrection therefore, when they shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.²⁴And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of God?²⁵For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.²⁶And as touching the dead, that they rise: have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto him, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?²⁷He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages about faith, trust, and the nature of eternal life. The first reading from 2 Timothy emphasizes standing firm in faith despite challenges, trusting in God's power and grace. Paul encourages Timothy to rekindle the grace within him, urging boldness in sharing the Gospel and confidence in God's power. The Gospel from Mark presents Jesus correcting the Sadducees' misunderstanding of the resurrection, illustrating that life beyond death is a transformation where earthly bonds like marriage no longer apply, much like the angels. Both readings highlight the importance of understanding God's power and the Scriptures. Paul's letter to Timothy is a call to courage and trust in God's plan, while Jesus' response to the Sadducees underscores the reality of resurrection as a new form of life focused on God. These themes remind us to trust in God's eternal promises and live with hope beyond current circumstances. In daily life, these teachings encourage us to face challenges with faith, not fear, and to trust in God's plan. They invite us to embrace the hope of eternal life, where our true identity and purpose are in God. Let us live boldly, sharing the Gospel and trusting in God's power, knowing that our ultimate home is with Him.