Daily Catholic Mass Readings for March 31, 2022
First Reading: Exodus 32.7-14
7Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.8They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, 'These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.'9"I have seen these people," the LORD said to Moses, "and they are a stiff-necked people.10Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation."11But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God. "O LORD," he said, "why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?12Why should the Egyptians say, 'It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth'? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people.13Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.'"14Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.
Psalm 106
1Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.2Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD or fully declare his praise?3Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right.4Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them,5that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise.6We have sinned, even as our fathers did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.7When our fathers were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.8Yet he saved them for his name's sake, to make his mighty power known.9He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; he led them through the depths as through a desert.10He saved them from the hand of the foe; from the hand of the enemy he redeemed them.11The waters covered their adversaries; not one of them survived.12Then they believed his promises and sang his praise.13But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his counsel.14In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wasteland they put God to the test.15So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them.16In the camp they grew envious of Moses and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the LORD.17The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan; it buried the company of Abiram.18Fire blazed among their followers; a flame consumed the wicked.19At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal.20They exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull, which eats grass.21They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt,22miracles in the land of Ham and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.23So he said he would destroy them- had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him to keep his wrath from destroying them.24Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe his promise.25They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the LORD.26So he swore to them with uplifted hand that he would make them fall in the desert,27make their descendants fall among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands.28They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods;29they provoked the LORD to anger by their wicked deeds, and a plague broke out among them.30But Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was checked.31This was credited to him as righteousness for endless generations to come.32By the waters of Meribah they angered the LORD, and trouble came to Moses because of them;33for they rebelled against the Spirit of God, and rash words came from Moses' lips.34They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded them,35but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs.36They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them.37They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.38They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood.39They defiled themselves by what they did; by their deeds they prostituted themselves.40Therefore the LORD was angry with his people and abhorred his inheritance.41He handed them over to the nations, and their foes ruled over them.42Their enemies oppressed them and subjected them to their power.43Many times he delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin.44But he took note of their distress when he heard their cry;45for their sake he remembered his covenant and out of his great love he relented.46He caused them to be pitied by all who held them captive.47Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.48Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, "Amen!" Praise the LORD.
Gospel: John 5.18, 31-47
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.31"If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid.32There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is valid.33"You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth.34Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved.35John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.36"I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me.37And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form,38nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.39You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me,40yet you refuse to come to me to have life.41"I do not accept praise from men,42but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts.43I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.44How can you believe if you accept praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise that comes from the only God?45"But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set.46If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.47But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?"
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful moments of faith and unbelief. The first reading from Exodus tells the story of the Israelites’ rebellion against God while Moses is on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments. The people, impatient and fearful, turn to a golden calf, worshipping it as their savior. Their actions are a stark rejection of the God who had just delivered them from slavery in Egypt. Moses, however, stands as a mediator, pleading with God to spare His people, reminding Him of His promises to their ancestors. This passage highlights the tension between human weakness and God’s steadfast love, as well as the importance of intercession and trust in God’s faithfulness.
The Gospel reading from John presents a similar dynamic of belief and unbelief, but in a very different context. Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees, who are determined to kill Him because of His claims to divine sonship and His works, which they see as violations of the Sabbath. Jesus defends Himself by pointing to the testimony of John the Baptist, the works He performs, and the Father’s own witness. He laments that while the Pharisees study the Scriptures, they fail to recognize Him as the fulfillment of those Scriptures. This passage underscores the theme of spiritual blindness and the importance of seeking God’s glory rather than human approval.
Both readings invite us to reflect on our own relationship with God. The Israelites in Exodus turned to a false god because they lost sight of the true God who had delivered them. Similarly, the Pharisees in John failed to recognize Jesus because they were more committed to their own interpretations of the law than to seeking the truth. For us, this means being mindful of the ways we might turn away from God—whether through idolatry, spiritual complacency, or a refusal to see God’s presence in our lives. Like Moses, we are called to intercede for others and to trust in God’s promises, even when the world around us seems to have lost its way. And like Jesus, we are called to seek God’s glory and to open our hearts to the truth, even when it challenges our assumptions. May we, like the faithful remnant in both readings, remain steadfast in our commitment to God, trusting in His love and mercy, even when the world around us falters.