Daily Readings - Sun Mar 01 2020
Genesis
7the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.8Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.9And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground-trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.16And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;17but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."18The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."25The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
1Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"2The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,3but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'"4"You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman.5"For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."6When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.7Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
Romans
12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned--17For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.18Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
Matthew
1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.3The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."4Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"5Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.6"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'"7Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.9"All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."10Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"11Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey from the origins of humanity's struggle with sin to the ultimate triumph through Jesus Christ. The first reading from Genesis recounts the creation of Adam and Eve and their fall into sin, illustrating the initial fracture in humanity's relationship with God. The second reading from Romans bridges this gap, explaining how Christ's obedience counteracts Adam's disobedience, offering justification and life. The Gospel from Matthew then presents Jesus as the new Adam, who resists temptation, embodying the obedience that restores our relationship with God.
These readings interconnect by tracing the arc of sin and redemption. Genesis introduces the problem of sin, Romans provides the theological understanding of salvation through Christ, and Matthew exemplifies this salvation in action through Jesus' temptations. Together, they reveal a narrative of creation, fall, and redemption, highlighting God's plan to restore humanity.
In our daily lives, these readings remind us that we all face temptations and struggles with sin, but through faith and obedience, we can overcome them. Just as Jesus resisted Satan by relying on God's word, we too can find strength in prayer and scripture. The moral lesson is clear: our struggles are not in vain, for through Christ, we are offered grace and the power to live justly. Let us embrace this hope, trusting in God's redeeming love to guide us through life's challenges.