Daily Readings - Wed Jun 05 2024

¹Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,²To Timothy, my dear son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.³I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers.⁶For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.⁷For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.⁸So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,⁹who has saved us and called us to a holy life--not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,¹⁰but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.¹¹And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.¹²That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

Mark

Chapter 12

¹⁸Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question.¹⁹"Teacher," they said, "Moses wrote for us that if a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and have children for his brother.²⁰Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children.²¹The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third.²²In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too.²³At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?"²⁴Jesus replied, "Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God?²⁵When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.²⁶Now about the dead rising--have you not read in the book of Moses, in the account of the bush, how God said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?²⁷He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!"

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages about faith, trust, and the nature of eternal life. The first reading from 2 Timothy emphasizes standing firm in faith despite challenges, trusting in God's power and grace. Paul encourages Timothy to rekindle the grace within him, urging boldness in sharing the Gospel and confidence in God's power. The Gospel from Mark presents Jesus correcting the Sadducees' misunderstanding of the resurrection, illustrating that life beyond death is a transformation where earthly bonds like marriage no longer apply, much like the angels. Both readings highlight the importance of understanding God's power and the Scriptures. Paul's letter to Timothy is a call to courage and trust in God's plan, while Jesus' response to the Sadducees underscores the reality of resurrection as a new form of life focused on God. These themes remind us to trust in God's eternal promises and live with hope beyond current circumstances. In daily life, these teachings encourage us to face challenges with faith, not fear, and to trust in God's plan. They invite us to embrace the hope of eternal life, where our true identity and purpose are in God. Let us live boldly, sharing the Gospel and trusting in God's power, knowing that our ultimate home is with Him.