Daily Readings - Wed Apr 14 2021
Acts
17Then the high priest and all his associates, who were members of the party of the Sadducees, were filled with jealousy.18They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail.19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out.20"Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people the full message of this new life."21At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.22When the high priest and his associates arrived, they called together the Sanhedrin--the full assembly of the elders of Israel--and sent to the jail for the apostles. But on arriving at the jail, the officers did not find them there. So they went back and reported,23"We found the jail securely locked, with the guards standing at the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside."24On hearing this report, the captain of the temple guard and the chief priests were puzzled, wondering what would come of this.25Then someone came and said, "Look! The men you put in jail are standing in the temple courts teaching the people."26At that, the captain went with his officers and brought the apostles. They did not use force, because they feared that the people would stone them.
John
16"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on obedience, freedom, and the call to live as children of light. The first reading from Acts recounts the Apostles’ courage in the face of persecution. Despite being imprisoned by the Sadducees, they are miraculously freed by an angel and return to the temple to continue teaching. Their unwavering commitment to spreading the Good News, even in the face of danger, reminds us that true freedom comes from obeying God’s will, not from escaping human constraints. The Gospel from John offers a profound meditation on light and darkness. Jesus, the Light of the world, reveals God’s love and offers salvation to all. Yet, the passage also warns that those who prefer darkness to light do so because their deeds are evil. The choice between light and darkness is not just a moral one but a spiritual one, reflecting our willingness to embrace truth and live in God’s grace.
The readings are deeply connected in their emphasis on the tension between human opposition and divine providence. In Acts, the religious leaders are baffled by the Apostles’ escape, symbolizing the futility of human efforts to suppress God’s plan. In John’s Gospel, this tension is spiritual: the world resists the Light because it exposes sin, but those who embrace the Light find eternal life. Together, these passages remind us that living as disciples of Christ requires courage, fidelity, and a willingness to stand out in a world often shrouded in darkness.
As we apply these readings to our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Where am I being called to stand firm in my faith despite challenges? How am I choosing light over darkness in my choices and actions? The moral lesson is clear: God’s love and truth set us free, but this freedom demands that we live as witnesses to the Light. May we, like the Apostles, trust in God’s providence and, like those who act in truth, walk confidently toward the Light, allowing our lives to reflect the grace and love of Christ.