Daily Readings - Sun Apr 07 2019
Isaiah
16This is what the LORD says- he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters,17who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:18"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.19See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.20The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen,21the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.
Philippians
8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
John
1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.2At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group4and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?"6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.7But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.10Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"11"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful themes of God's mercy, the pursuit of spiritual growth, and the call to compassion. The first reading from Isaiah reminds us of God's promise to bring life and hope to desolate places, urging us to trust in His providence. The second reading from Philippians challenges us to prioritize our relationship with Christ above all else, emphasizing faith and perseverance. The Gospel story of the woman caught in adultery illustrates Jesus's merciful approach, highlighting the importance of compassion and the call to repentance.
These readings interconnect by guiding us to focus on spiritual growth and trust in God's mercy. Isaiah shows God's transformative power, Philippians encourages us to seek deeper union with Christ, and the Gospel exemplifies mercy in action. Together, they remind us to trust in God's plan and approach others with compassion.
In our daily lives, let us embrace God's mercy, focus on our spiritual journey, and extend compassion to others. May we, like the woman in the Gospel, encounter Christ's mercy and strive to live according to His teachings.