Daily Readings - Thu Apr 17 2025
Exodus
1The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt,2"This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year.3Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb for his family, one for each household.4If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat.5The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect, and you may take them from the sheep or the goats.6Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the people of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight.7Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs.8That same night they are to eat the meat roasted over the fire, along with bitter herbs, and bread made without yeast.11This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the LORD's Passover.12"On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every firstborn-both men and animals-and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD.13The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.14"This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD -a lasting ordinance.
1 Corinthians
23For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,24and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me."25In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."26For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.
John
1It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.2The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.3Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;4so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"7Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."8"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."9"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"10Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you."11For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.12When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them.13"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am.14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound mystery of God’s love and the call to humility and service. In the first reading from Exodus, we hear the story of the Passover, where God instructs the Israelites to mark their doorposts with the blood of a lamb so that the angel of death will “pass over” their homes. This rite is a powerful symbol of liberation and salvation, prefiguring the ultimate sacrifice of Christ, who would shed his blood to save humanity from sin. The context of this reading is the Israelites’ preparation for their escape from slavery in Egypt, and it reminds us that God’s love is always tied to liberation and the promise of new life.
The second reading from 1 Corinthians connects this ancient ritual to the Eucharist, which Jesus instituted on the night before his Passion. Paul reminds us that the bread and cup are not just symbols but the very body and blood of Christ, given for us. This sacrament is a remembrance of his death and a proclamation of his resurrection. The context here is the early Christian community’s celebration of the Lord’s Supper, and it underscores the deep unity we share with Christ and with one another through this sacred meal.
In the Gospel, Jesus takes this theme of love and service to its fullest expression. On the eve of his Passion, he humbles himself to wash the feet of his disciples, an act typically performed by slaves. When Peter resists, Jesus makes it clear that this act of humility is essential for true discipleship. The context is Jesus’ final hours with his disciples, teaching them one last lesson about the nature of his kingdom. By washing their feet, he shows that true greatness is found in serving others, and he calls us to follow his example.
These readings are deeply connected. The Passover in Exodus points to the ultimate Passover in Christ, who would pass over from death to life. The Eucharist in Corinthians is the continuation of this mystery, where we receive the gift of Christ’s body and blood. And in John’s Gospel, Jesus shows us how to live this gift by serving one another with humility and love. Together, they remind us that our faith is not just about rituals or doctrines but about living out God’s love in concrete acts of service and sacrifice.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How can we imitate Christ’s humility in our daily lives? How can we serve others, especially those in need? The Eucharist we celebrate is not just a memory but a call to live as Christ lived. Let us approach the altar with gratitude for the gift of Christ’s body and blood, and let us leave with a renewed commitment to serve one another, just as he served us. In doing so, we fulfill the commandment of love that Jesus gave us, and we become the hands and feet of Christ in the world.