Daily Readings - Sun Apr 03 2022
Isaiah
16This is what the LORD says- he who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters,17who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick:18"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.19See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.20The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen,21the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.
Philippians
8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ--the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
John
1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.2At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them.3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group4and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?"6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.7But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her."8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.10Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"11"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."
Sermon
Today’s readings invite us to reflect on the themes of redemption, mercy, and the pursuit of holiness. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear the prophet’s assurance that God is always doing something new, even in the midst of our failures and shortcomings. The image of making a way in the desert and bringing life to barren places reminds us that God’s mercy and creativity are boundless. This passage, spoken to the Israelites in exile, encourages them—and us—to trust in God’s promise of redemption and to look forward with hope, rather than dwelling on past mistakes.
The second reading from Philippians deepens this theme as St. Paul shares his own spiritual journey. He confesses that all his accomplishments are worthless compared to the knowledge of Christ. Paul’s focus is not on his past achievements or failures but on pressing forward toward the goal of union with Christ. He reminds us that true holiness is not about self-justification but about trusting in God’s grace and sharing in Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. This reading challenges us to re-examine our priorities and to seek a deeper relationship with Christ above all else.
In the Gospel, Jesus’ encounter with the woman caught in adultery offers a powerful example of mercy and compassion. While the law and the Pharisees sought to condemn, Jesus chose to forgive and to invite the woman to a new way of life. His words, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone,” remind us that we are all in need of God’s mercy. This story calls us to reflect on our own judgmental tendencies and to imitate Christ’s compassion in our interactions with others.
These readings, when taken together, offer a profound spiritual reflection: God is always doing something new in our lives, but we must be open to receiving His mercy and grace. Like Paul, we are called to press forward, leaving behind the burdens of our past and trusting in God’s plan for us. And like Jesus, we are challenged to extend mercy and compassion to others, recognizing that we are all sinners in need of forgiveness. May we, like the woman in the Gospel, hear Jesus’ words of pardon and go forth to live lives marked by love, humility, and gratitude.