Daily Catholic Mass Readings for March 21, 2024
First Reading: Genesis 17.3-9
3Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,4"As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.5No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations.6I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.7I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.8The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."9Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come.
Psalm 105
1Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.2Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.3Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.4Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.5Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,6O descendants of Abraham his servant, O sons of Jacob, his chosen ones.7He is the LORD our God; his judgments are in all the earth.8He remembers his covenant forever, the word he commanded, for a thousand generations,9the covenant he made with Abraham, the oath he swore to Isaac.10He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree, to Israel as an everlasting covenant:11"To you I will give the land of Canaan as the portion you will inherit."12When they were but few in number, few indeed, and strangers in it,13they wandered from nation to nation, from one kingdom to another.14He allowed no one to oppress them; for their sake he rebuked kings:15"Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm."16He called down famine on the land and destroyed all their supplies of food;17and he sent a man before them- Joseph, sold as a slave.18They bruised his feet with shackles, his neck was put in irons,19till what he foretold came to pass, till the word of the LORD proved him true.20The king sent and released him, the ruler of peoples set him free.21He made him master of his household, ruler over all he possessed,22to instruct his princes as he pleased and teach his elders wisdom.23Then Israel entered Egypt; Jacob lived as an alien in the land of Ham.24The LORD made his people very fruitful; he made them too numerous for their foes,25whose hearts he turned to hate his people, to conspire against his servants.26He sent Moses his servant, and Aaron, whom he had chosen.27They performed his miraculous signs among them, his wonders in the land of Ham.28He sent darkness and made the land dark- for had they not rebelled against his words?29He turned their waters into blood, causing their fish to die.30Their land teemed with frogs, which went up into the bedrooms of their rulers.31He spoke, and there came swarms of flies, and gnats throughout their country.32He turned their rain into hail, with lightning throughout their land;33he struck down their vines and fig trees and shattered the trees of their country.34He spoke, and the locusts came, grasshoppers without number;35they ate up every green thing in their land, ate up the produce of their soil.36Then he struck down all the firstborn in their land, the firstfruits of all their manhood.37He brought out Israel, laden with silver and gold, and from among their tribes no one faltered.38Egypt was glad when they left, because dread of Israel had fallen on them.39He spread out a cloud as a covering, and a fire to give light at night.40They asked, and he brought them quail and satisfied them with the bread of heaven.41He opened the rock, and water gushed out; like a river it flowed in the desert.42For he remembered his holy promise given to his servant Abraham.43He brought out his people with rejoicing, his chosen ones with shouts of joy;44he gave them the lands of the nations, and they fell heir to what others had toiled for-45that they might keep his precepts and observe his laws. Praise the LORD.
Gospel: John 8.51-59
51I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death."52At this the Jews exclaimed, "Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that if anyone keeps your word, he will never taste death.53Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?"54Jesus replied, "If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me.55Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and keep his word.56Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad."57"You are not yet fifty years old," the Jews said to him, "and you have seen Abraham!"58"I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "before Abraham was born, I am!"59At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound moments of revelation and covenant. The first reading from Genesis recounts the moment when Abram, a man of deep faith, is renamed Abraham by God. This name change signifies a new identity and a divine promise: Abraham is to become the father of many nations, and God establishes an eternal covenant with him and his descendants. The reading emphasizes God’s faithfulness and the transformative power of His promises. The second reading from John’s Gospel presents a tense exchange between Jesus and the Pharisees. Jesus declares that those who keep His word will never see death, a statement that provokes confusion and hostility. The Pharisees question Jesus’ claim, comparing it to the legacy of Abraham, who had long since passed away. Jesus responds by asserting His divine identity, stating that He existed even before Abraham was born, a bold declaration that underscores His eternal and divine nature.
These readings are deeply connected. In Genesis, God establishes a covenant with Abraham, promising to be his God and the God of his descendants. This covenant is rooted in faith and trust, as Abraham is called to believe in God’s promises despite the impossibility of his circumstances. In the Gospel, Jesus extends this covenant, revealing Himself as the fulfillment of God’s promises. His words challenge the Pharisees—and us—to recognize that true life comes not from earthly lineage or religious observance, but from a living relationship with God. Jesus’ statement, “Before Abraham was, I AM,” is a declaration of His divinity and His role as the ultimate source of life and truth.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to reflect on the nature of faith and identity. Like Abraham, we are called to trust in God’s promises, even when they seem impossible or unclear. Like the Pharisees, we may sometimes struggle to see the deeper truth behind Jesus’ words, but His message is clear: eternal life is found in keeping His word and living in communion with the Father. As we navigate the challenges of our own lives, let us remember that our true identity is rooted in God’s covenant love. May we, like Abraham, rejoice in the day of the Lord, and may we, like Jesus, live with the confidence of knowing that we are beloved children of God.