Daily Readings - Sat Apr 19 2025
Genesis
1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.26Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.28God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."29Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.30And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground-everything that has the breath of life in it-I give every green plant for food." And it was so.31God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning-the sixth day.
Romans
3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin--7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin.8Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.9For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.10The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.11In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
Luke
1On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.4While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.5In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?6He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:7'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'"8Then they remembered his words.9When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others.10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.11But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.12Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey from creation to resurrection, exploring our role as stewards of God's world and the transformative power of Christ's victory over sin and death. The passage from Genesis reminds us that we are created in God's image, entrusted with the care of creation. This sacred responsibility is not just about dominion but about nurturing and preserving the world God deemed very good.
The second reading from Romans deepens this understanding by revealing that through baptism, we are united with Christ's death and resurrection. This union calls us to live as new creations, no longer bound by sin but alive for God. Just as creation was an act of divine love, our new life in Christ is a gift that invites us to walk in the light of His grace.
In the Gospel, Luke recounts the discovery of the empty tomb, a testament to Christ's triumph. The women's initial doubt and Peter's subsequent investigation remind us that faith often begins with uncertainty but leads to profound trust. As we reflect on these readings, we are called to embrace our role as stewards of creation and to live as resurrected people, trusting in God's plan even when it seems unclear. Let us, like Peter, seek truth with courage and live as new creations, caring for the world and each other with the love of Christ.