Daily Readings - Fri Jun 08 2018
Hosea
1"When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.2But the more I called Israel, the further they went from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images.3It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them.4I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them.8"How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.9I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man- the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath.
Ephesians
8Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,9and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.10His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,11according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.12In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.14For this reason I kneel before the Father,15from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
John
31Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down.32The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other.33But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.34Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.35The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.36These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken,"37and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have pierced."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound expressions of God’s love and mercy, woven together across the Old and New Testaments. The first reading from Hosea reveals the tender heart of God, who, despite Israel’s rebellion, remains a loving Father. Hosea’s words evoke the Exodus, where God called His people out of slavery, and yet they turned away. Still, God’s love endures, healing and drawing them close with cords of love. This passage reminds us that God’s mercy often surpasses our understanding, and His heart is moved with compassion, even when we fail to recognize His care.
In the second reading from Ephesians, St. Paul reflects on the mystery of Christ, which unites all people in God’s plan. He prays for the believers to be strengthened by the Spirit and to grasp the immeasurable love of Christ. This love is not just a feeling but a divine reality that transforms us, filling us with the fullness of God. Paul’s words invite us to trust in God’s timeless purpose and to approach Him with confidence, knowing that we are part of a greater story that transcends our own limitations.
The Gospel from John brings us to the foot of the cross, where the pierced side of Jesus flows with blood and water, a symbol of the sacraments and the life-giving love of Christ. The fulfillment of Scripture here underscores the precision of God’s plan and the depth of His love. Just as Hosea spoke of God’s reluctance to destroy Ephraim, John shows us a God who, in Jesus, pours out His life for us. The cross is the ultimate expression of God’s love, a love that does not break or abandon but instead heals and redeems.
As we reflect on these readings, let us allow the depth of God’s love to sink into our hearts. May we trust in His plan, even when we cannot see the full picture. May we experience the transformative power of His love in our lives, and may we, like St. Paul, pray for the strength to embrace the width, length, height, and depth of Christ’s love. In this love, we find our true fullness, and we are called to share it with a world in need.