Daily Readings - Mon Mar 11 2024
Isaiah
17"Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.18But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy.19I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more.20"Never again will there be in it an infant who lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth; he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.21They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
John
43After the two days he left for Galilee.44(Now Jesus himself had pointed out that a prophet has no honor in his own country.)45When he arrived in Galilee, the Galileans welcomed him. They had seen all that he had done in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, for they also had been there.46Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine. And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum.47When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.48"Unless you people see miraculous signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe."49The royal official said, "Sir, come down before my child dies."50Jesus replied, "You may go. Your son will live." The man took Jesus at his word and departed.51While he was still on the way, his servants met him with the news that his boy was living.52When he inquired as to the time when his son got better, they said to him, "The fever left him yesterday at the seventh hour."53Then the father realized that this was the exact time at which Jesus had said to him, "Your son will live." So he and all his household believed.54This was the second miraculous sign that Jesus performed, having come from Judea to Galilee.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter profound messages of hope and transformation. The first reading from Isaiah paints a vivid picture of a new creation, where sorrow and death are no more, and joy and longevity define human existence. This vision was spoken to the Israelites during their exile in Babylon, offering them hope of a restored future. The Gospel from John narrates Jesus's second sign in Galilee, where He heals a nobleman's son through a word of faith, demonstrating His divine authority and the power of trust in His word.
Both readings highlight God's transformative power. Isaiah's new creation symbolizes God's ultimate restoration, while John's account shows Jesus's immediate, tangible impact through miracles. This connection reminds us that God's work is both future-oriented and present, offering hope and renewal in our current lives.
In application, these readings encourage us to trust God amidst struggles, like the nobleman who believed Jesus's word. They invite us to live with hope, knowing God is continually creating something new. The moral lesson is clear: have faith in God's promises and trust His plan, even in uncertain times. Let us embrace this hope and live joyfully, trusting in God's transformative power.