Daily Readings - Tue Apr 08 2025
Numbers
4And they journeyed from mount Hor by the way of the Red sea, to compass the land of Edom: and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.5And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness? for there is no bread, neither is there any water; and our soul loatheth this light bread.6And the LORD sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died.7Therefore the people came to Moses, and said, We have sinned, for we have spoken against the LORD, and against thee; pray unto the LORD, that he take away the serpents from us. And Moses prayed for the people.8And the LORD said unto Moses, Make thee a fiery serpent, and set it upon a pole: and it shall come to pass, that every one that is bitten, when he looketh upon it, shall live.9And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
John
21Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.22Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come.23And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.24I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.25Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.26I have many things to say and to judge of you: but he that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.27They understood not that he spake to them of the Father.28Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.29And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.30As he spake these words, many believed on him.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful moments of revelation and redemption. The first reading from Numbers describes the Israelites’ journey through the wilderness, where their impatience and lack of faith lead to a crisis. Complaining about their hardships, they turn against God and Moses, and as a consequence, they are afflicted by fiery serpents. Moses intercedes for the people, and God provides a remedy: a bronze serpent lifted up for all to gaze upon, promising healing to those who look upon it. This ancient story reminds us that even in our struggles, God offers us signs of His mercy and salvation.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to the Pharisees about His divine mission. He tells them that He will return to the Father, and they will not be able to follow Him because they are “from below” while He is “from above.” Jesus emphasizes that unless they believe in Him as the “I Am,” they will die in their sins. Despite their confusion and skepticism, many begin to believe in Him. This passage invites us to reflect on our own faith: do we recognize Jesus as the revelation of God’s love, or do we remain trapped in our limited understanding of the world?
The readings are deeply connected. The bronze serpent in the wilderness prefigures Jesus, who would be “lifted up” on the cross for the salvation of the world. Just as the Israelites needed to gaze upon the serpent to be healed, we must look to Jesus, crucified and risen, to find true life. In our daily lives, we often face challenges and doubts, just like the Israelites and the Pharisees. These readings remind us to trust in God’s providence, even when the path is uncertain, and to fix our gaze on Jesus, who is our salvation. Let us ask for the grace to believe in Him fully, that we may live in the freedom and light of His truth.