Daily Readings - Fri Jul 22 2022

First Reading - Song of Solomon 3.1-4a or 2 Corinthians 5.14-17

¹All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves; I looked for him but did not find him.²I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares; I will search for the one my heart loves. So I looked for him but did not find him.³The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. "Have you seen the one my heart loves?"⁴Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go till I had brought him to my mother's house, to the room of the one who conceived me.

2 Corinthians

Chapter 5

¹⁴For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.¹⁵And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.¹⁶So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

John

Chapter 20

¹Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.¹¹but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb¹²and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.¹³They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"¹⁴"They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.¹⁵"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."¹⁶Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).¹⁷Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"¹⁸Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter two profound expressions of love and devotion. The first reading from the Song of Solomon portrays the bride’s relentless search for her beloved, symbolizing the deep longing of the soul for God. Her journey through the night, despite not finding him immediately, reflects the perseverance required in our spiritual lives. The second reading from John’s Gospel shifts our focus to Mary Magdalene, whose unwavering dedication leads her to the tomb of Jesus. Her tears of sorrow turn to joy as she encounters the risen Christ, embodying the transformative power of faith and love. Both narratives highlight the universal human experience of seeking and finding. The bride’s search in Song of Solomon mirrors Mary’s quest in John’s Gospel, illustrating that our journey toward God is often marked by both struggle and grace. These stories remind us that faith involves persistence and trust, even in the face of uncertainty. Just as Mary Magdalene’s encounter with Jesus brought her joy and purpose, our own encounters with God can transform our lives, providing us with the strength to face challenges and the courage to share His love with others. As we reflect on these readings, let us consider how we seek God in our own lives. Do we approach Him with the same persistence as the bride and Mary Magdalene? Let us remember that God is always present, even when we cannot see Him. May we, like Mary, embrace the joy of encountering Christ and share that joy with others. In doing so, we fulfill our calling to be witnesses of His love and to live as children of the light, guided by the hope of eternal life.