Daily Readings - Sat Apr 20 2019

¹In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.²⁶Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."²⁷So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.²⁸God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."²⁹Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.³⁰And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground-everything that has the breath of life in it-I give every green plant for food." And it was so.³¹God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning-the sixth day.

Romans

Chapter 6

³Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?⁴We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.⁵If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.⁶For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin--⁷because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.⁸Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.⁹For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.¹⁰The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.¹¹In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Mark

Chapter 16

¹When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body.²Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb³and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"⁴But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.⁵As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.⁶"Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.⁷But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.'"⁸Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

Sermon

In today's readings, we journey from creation to resurrection, exploring themes of identity, transformation, and divine promise. Genesis reminds us that we are created in God's image, entrusted with stewardship of the earth, highlighting our inherent dignity and purpose. This creation narrative sets the stage for understanding our role in God's plan. The second reading from Romans bridges creation with redemption, explaining that through baptism, we die to sin and rise anew in Christ. This spiritual rebirth mirrors Christ's resurrection, as described in Mark's Gospel, where the empty tomb signifies victory over death. The women's fear and silence at the tomb contrast with the triumph of the resurrection, inviting us to trust in God's power even in uncertain times. In daily life, these readings urge us to embrace our divine image, live transformed by baptism, and find hope in God's promises. The resurrection calls us to purposeful living, trusting that God's power can overcome any darkness. Let us carry this hope forward, living as new creations in Christ, with faith and trust in His enduring promises.