Daily Readings - Tue Mar 28 2023
Numbers
4They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way;5they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"6Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died.7The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.8The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live."9So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.
John
21Once more Jesus said to them, "I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come."22This made the Jews ask, "Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, 'Where I go, you cannot come'?"23But he continued, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.24I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins."25"Who are you?" they asked.26"Just what I have been claiming all along," Jesus replied. "I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I tell the world."27They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father.28So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.29The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him."30Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him.
Sermon
The first reading from Numbers recounts the Israelites' journey through the wilderness, where they grow weary and complain against God and Moses. Their lack of faith and gratitude leads to a punishment of fiery serpents, but when they repent, Moses intercedes, and God provides a sign of salvation: a bronze serpent lifted high. Those who gaze upon it are healed. This story reminds us that even in our struggles and doubts, God offers us a way to return to Him and find healing.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks to the Pharisees about His divine origin and destiny. He emphasizes that He comes from above and speaks the truth of the Father. Jesus warns them that if they do not believe in Him, they will die in their sins. Despite their confusion and skepticism, many begin to believe in Him. This passage invites us to reflect on our own faith: do we recognize Jesus as the Son of God, and do we trust in His words and mission?
Both readings point to the importance of faith and trust in God. The bronze serpent in Numbers prefigures the cross of Christ, where Jesus is "lifted up" for the salvation of the world. Just as the Israelites needed to gaze upon the serpent to be healed, we must look to Christ, crucified and risen, to find eternal life. In our daily lives, when we face challenges or doubts, let us turn to Christ, the ultimate sign of God's love and mercy. May we, like many in the Gospel, come to believe in Him more deeply and follow His truth.