Daily Catholic Mass Readings for April 5, 2019
First Reading: Wisdom 2.1a, 12-22
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Psalm 34
1I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.2My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.3Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.4I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.5Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.6This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.7The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.8Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.9Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.10The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.11Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.12Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,13keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.14Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.15The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry;16the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.17The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.18The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.19A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;20he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.21Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.22The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.
Gospel: John 7.1-2, 10, 25-30
1After this, Jesus went around in Galilee, purposely staying away from Judea because the Jews there were waiting to take his life.2But when the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles was near,10However, after his brothers had left for the Feast, he went also, not publicly, but in secret.25At that point some of the people of Jerusalem began to ask, "Isn't this the man they are trying to kill?26Here he is, speaking publicly, and they are not saying a word to him. Have the authorities really concluded that he is the Christ?27But we know where this man is from; when the Christ comes, no one will know where he is from."28Then Jesus, still teaching in the temple courts, cried out, "Yes, you know me, and you know where I am from. I am not here on my own, but he who sent me is true. You do not know him,29but I know him because I am from him and he sent me."30At this they tried to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his time had not yet come.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound narratives that invite us to reflect on the nature of righteousness, faith, and trust in God’s plan. The first reading from the Book of Wisdom describes the wicked plotting against the just man, questioning his claims of closeness to God and resolving to test him through suffering and death. The second reading from John’s Gospel shows Jesus continuing his mission despite the growing threat against his life, teaching openly in the temple and affirming his divine origin. Both readings highlight the tension between those who walk in the light of truth and those who are blinded by malice and unbelief.
The context of these readings is deeply rooted in the struggle between good and evil. In Wisdom, the just man represents the persecuted righteous, whose very existence challenges the wicked to confront their own sinfulness. Similarly, in John’s Gospel, Jesus embodies the truth of God’s love and justice, which provokes both admiration and hostility. The readings remind us that living a life of integrity and faith often invites opposition, as it challenges others to confront their own shortcomings. Yet, both the just man and Jesus trust in God’s providence, knowing that their ultimate vindication lies not in human approval but in God’s plan.
These readings call us to reflect on how we live out our faith in daily life. Like the just man in Wisdom, we are called to stand firm in our commitment to God, even when it means facing ridicule or adversity. Like Jesus, we are invited to trust in God’s timing and purposes, even when the path ahead seems uncertain or fraught with danger. The moral lesson here is clear: true wisdom and strength come not from avoiding challenges but from embracing them with faith, knowing that God is always at work, even in the darkest moments. Let us strive to live with such courage and trust, allowing the light of God’s truth to guide us through the trials of our own lives.