Daily Readings - Tue Apr 29 2025
Acts
32And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.33And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.34Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,35And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.36And Joses, who by the apostles was surnamed Barnabas, (which is, being interpreted, The son of consolation,) a Levite, and of the country of Cyprus,37Having land, sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
John
7Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.8The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.9Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?10Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things?11Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness.12If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?13And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.14And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:15That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
Sermon
The first reading from Acts paints a vivid picture of the early Christian community, where believers shared everything in common, living in unity and generosity. This was not a community of mere acquaintances but one bound together by a deep faith in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Apostles, filled with the power of the Holy Spirit, testified to this truth, and the believers, in turn, lived out their faith by ensuring that no one among them was in need. This radical way of life was a testament to the transformative power of the Gospel, as seen in the example of Barnabas, who sold his land and entrusted the proceeds to the Apostles for the benefit of all.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to Nicodemus about the necessity of being "born anew" by the Spirit. Just as the wind blows where it wills, so too does the Spirit work mysteriously in the hearts of those who are open to God’s grace. Jesus emphasizes that spiritual rebirth is not about physical descent or human understanding but about surrendering to the movement of the Spirit. He then connects this truth to his own mission, likening himself to the serpent Moses lifted up in the desert—a symbol of salvation for all who believe. Jesus’ words challenge Nicodemus, and us, to move beyond earthly thinking and to embrace the heavenly realities revealed by God.
These readings remind us that faith is not merely an individual act but a communal way of life. The early Christians in Acts showed that living in unity and generosity is a practical expression of being "born anew" by the Spirit. Similarly, Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus calls us to open our hearts to the Spirit’s work within us. In our daily lives, we are invited to imitate the early Church by sharing our resources and our lives with others, trusting that God will provide for all our needs. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to renew us, to make us instruments of unity and generosity, and to deepen our faith in the eternal life that Jesus offers.