Daily Readings - Mon May 24 2021
First Reading - Genesis 3.9-15, 20 or Acts 1.12-14
Genesis
9But the LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?"10He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid."11And he said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?"12The man said, "The woman you put here with me-she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it."13Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" The woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."14So the LORD God said to the serpent, "Because you have done this, "Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals! You will crawl on your belly and you will eat dust all the days of your life.15And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."20Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living.
Acts
12Then they returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day's walk from the city.13When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James.14They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
John
25Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.26When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son,"27and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the human condition, sin, and redemption. In the first reading from Genesis, we hear the story of Adam and Eve after they have eaten the forbidden fruit. Their fear and shame lead them to hide from God, and when questioned, they shift blame—to the serpent, to each other, and ultimately to God himself. This passage reveals the fundamental human tendency to avoid responsibility for our actions and the brokenness that sin introduces into relationships—between humanity and God, between man and woman, and between humanity and creation. The curse that follows is not just punishment but also a reminder of the consequences of sin and the ongoing struggle between good and evil.
In the Gospel, we see a very different scene. At the foot of the cross, Jesus, in his final moments, entrusts his mother to the care of the beloved disciple. This act of love and responsibility stands in stark contrast to the self-centeredness of Adam and Eve. While they were consumed by fear and blame-shifting, Jesus, even in his suffering, shows concern for others and creates a new family bound together by love and trust. This moment on Calvary is not just a personal gesture but a profound revelation of God’s plan to restore humanity and create a new kind of relationship—one rooted in self-giving love rather than self-preservation.
These readings remind us that sin isolates and divides, but love unites and heals. In our own lives, we are often tempted to shift blame or hide from our failures, just as Adam and Eve did. But Jesus shows us a different way—a way of taking responsibility, loving without condition, and trusting in God’s plan. Let us ask for the grace to imitate Jesus’ selfless love and to build relationships that reflect the unity and trust he modeled, even in the face of suffering.