Daily Readings - Wed Mar 30 2022
Isaiah
8This is what the LORD says: "In the time of my favor I will answer you, and in the day of salvation I will help you; I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people, to restore the land and to reassign its desolate inheritances,9to say to the captives, 'Come out,' and to those in darkness, 'Be free!'"They will feed beside the roads and find pasture on every barren hill.10They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat upon them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.11I will turn all my mountains into roads, and my highways will be raised up.12See, they will come from afar- some from the north, some from the west, some from the region of Aswan. "13Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.14But Zion said, "The LORD has forsaken me, the Lord has forgotten me."15"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!
John
16So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him.17Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working."18For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.19Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.20For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these.21For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.22Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,23that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.24"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.25I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.26For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself.27And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.28"Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice29and come out--those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.30By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter profound messages of divine care and authority. The first reading from Isaiah paints a vivid picture of God's unwavering commitment to His people. Despite feelings of abandonment, the Lord reassures Zion of His eternal love and provision, promising sustenance and guidance even in the darkest times. This passage underscores God's faithfulness and the covenant He establishes with His people, emphasizing trust and hope.
The Gospel from John shifts our focus to Jesus, who, while facing persecution, reveals His divine unity with the Father. Jesus explains that His works mirror the Father's, highlighting His authority to give life and judge righteously. He assures us that His judgment is just, as it aligns with the Father's will. This passage invites us to reflect on our relationship with the divine, encouraging us to seek God's will in our lives.
Together, these readings remind us to trust in God's plan and care. Isaiah's reassurance and Jesus' teachings call us to live with faith, trusting that God's love and justice guide us. In our daily lives, we are urged to seek God's will, just as Jesus did, and to find comfort in His eternal love and provision. Let us embrace this trust, allowing it to transform our hearts and actions, living as children of a loving Father.