Daily Readings - Sat Apr 19 2025
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.
Luke
1Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.2And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.3And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.4And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:5And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?6He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,7Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.8And they remembered his words,9And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.10It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.11And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.12Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey from creation to resurrection, exploring our role as stewards of God's world and the transformative power of Christ's victory over sin and death. The passage from Genesis reminds us that we are created in God's image, entrusted with the care of creation. This sacred responsibility is not just about dominion but about nurturing and preserving the world God deemed very good.
The second reading from Romans deepens this understanding by revealing that through baptism, we are united with Christ's death and resurrection. This union calls us to live as new creations, no longer bound by sin but alive for God. Just as creation was an act of divine love, our new life in Christ is a gift that invites us to walk in the light of His grace.
In the Gospel, Luke recounts the discovery of the empty tomb, a testament to Christ's triumph. The women's initial doubt and Peter's subsequent investigation remind us that faith often begins with uncertainty but leads to profound trust. As we reflect on these readings, we are called to embrace our role as stewards of creation and to live as resurrected people, trusting in God's plan even when it seems unclear. Let us, like Peter, seek truth with courage and live as new creations, caring for the world and each other with the love of Christ.