Daily Readings - Fri Jun 11 2021
Hosea
1"When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.2But the more I called Israel, the further they went from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images.3It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them.4I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them.8"How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused.9I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man- the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath.
Ephesians
8Although I am less than the least of all God's people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,9and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things.10His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms,11according to his eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.12In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.14For this reason I kneel before the Father,15from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name.16I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,17so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,18may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ,19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
John
31Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jews did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down.32The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other.33But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.34Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.35The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe.36These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken,"37and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have pierced."
Sermon
Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the boundless love and mercy of God, as well as our response to this divine gift. In the first reading from Hosea, we encounter a God who is deeply grieved by the infidelity of his people, yet remains steadfast in his love for them. Hosea uses the imagery of a parent’s love to describe God’s relationship with Israel, emphasizing that even when his children wander, he longs to heal and restore them. This passage reminds us that God’s love is not conditional or fleeting; it is a love that endures even in the face of rejection.
The second reading from Ephesians shifts our focus to the mystery of God’s plan to unite all people in Christ. Paul humbly acknowledges his role as a missionary to the Gentiles, yet he is filled with awe at the vastness of God’s wisdom and the depths of his love. He prays that we might come to know the immeasurable richness of Christ’s love, a love that transcends human understanding. This reading calls us to trust in God’s plan and to open our hearts to the transformative power of his grace.
In the Gospel, John’s account of Jesus’ crucifixion reveals the ultimate expression of God’s love. The piercing of Jesus’ side, from which blood and water flow, is a symbol of the life-giving sacraments of the Church and the endless mercy of God. The fulfillment of Scripture in this moment underscores the faithfulness of God’s plan. Just as the soldiers could not break Jesus’ bones, so too can nothing break the bond of God’s love for us.
These readings remind us that God’s love is not something we earn; it is a gift freely given, even when we fail to reciprocate it. As we go about our daily lives, let us strive to reflect this love in our actions and our relationships. May we, like Paul, trust in God’s plan and pray for the strength to live according to the fullness of his love. And may we, like the beloved disciple, bear witness to the truth of God’s mercy, so that others may come to know the depth of his love for them.