Daily Readings - Wed Jul 22 2020

First Reading - Song of Solomon 3.1-4a or 2 Corinthians 5.14-17

¹All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves; I looked for him but did not find him.²I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares; I will search for the one my heart loves. So I looked for him but did not find him.³The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. "Have you seen the one my heart loves?"⁴Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go till I had brought him to my mother's house, to the room of the one who conceived me.

2 Corinthians

Chapter 5

¹⁴For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.¹⁵And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.¹⁶So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

John

Chapter 20

¹Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.¹¹but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb¹²and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.¹³They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"¹⁴"They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.¹⁵"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."¹⁶Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).¹⁷Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"¹⁸Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two profound narratives of seeking and finding, each offering insights into our spiritual journey. The first reading from Song of Solomon presents a poetic allegory of the soul's longing for divine love. The bride's relentless search for her beloved symbolizes our own quest for a deeper connection with God, emphasizing perseverance and devotion. This text, often seen as an allegory of divine love, reminds us that our spiritual seeking is a noble and necessary pursuit. The Gospel reading from John recounts Mary Magdalene's emotional encounter with the risen Jesus. Her unwavering dedication and the transformative moment of recognition highlight the personal and intimate relationship we can have with Christ. This narrative, set in the context of Easter, underscores themes of resurrection and new life, inviting us to reflect on the transformative power of encountering Jesus. Both readings encourage us to embrace our journey of seeking God with faith and hope. Just as the bride and Mary found their beloved in unexpected ways, we too can trust that our seeking is not in vain. Our daily lives, marked by moments of uncertainty, can be transformed by the assurance that God reveals Himself in His time. Let us approach each day with the persistence of the bride and the devotion of Mary, trusting in the promise of encounter and renewal. May our hearts remain open to the transformative power of Christ's presence, guiding us to live as witnesses of His love.