Daily Readings - Tue Jul 22 2025

First Reading - Song of Solomon 3.1-4a or 2 Corinthians 5.14-17

¹All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves; I looked for him but did not find him.²I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares; I will search for the one my heart loves. So I looked for him but did not find him.³The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. "Have you seen the one my heart loves?"⁴Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go till I had brought him to my mother's house, to the room of the one who conceived me.

2 Corinthians

Chapter 5

¹⁴For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.¹⁵And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.¹⁶So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.¹⁷Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!

John

Chapter 20

¹Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance.¹¹but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb¹²and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.¹³They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?"¹⁴"They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.¹⁵"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him."¹⁶Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher).¹⁷Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'"¹⁸Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter two profound expressions of love and devotion, each offering a unique perspective on the human and divine connection. The first reading from the Song of Solomon presents a poetic dialogue between two lovers, where the bride expresses her deep longing and relentless search for her beloved. Her journey through the night, the city streets, and her encounter with the watchers symbolizes the universal human quest for connection and meaning. This passage, often interpreted allegorically, reflects the soul’s yearning for God, emphasizing persistence and passion in seeking a deeper relationship with the divine. The Gospel reading from John shifts our focus to a moment of profound revelation. Mary Magdalene, overwhelmed with grief, discovers the empty tomb and encounters the risen Jesus. Her tears of sorrow turn to joy as she recognizes the Lord, who commissions her to share the news of his resurrection with the disciples. This narrative underscores the transformative power of love and faith, as Mary’s unwavering devotion leads her to be the first witness of the resurrection, a moment that changes the course of history. These readings, though distinct in context, are united by themes of love, perseverance, and the fulfillment of longing. The bride’s relentless search in the Song of Solomon mirrors Mary’s steadfastness in her grief and faith. Both stories remind us that our spiritual journeys, marked by moments of uncertainty and searching, are ultimately met with the fulfillment of God’s presence. In our daily lives, we are called to emulate this persistence and trust, knowing that even in darkness, God’s love and light prevail. Let us approach our own challenges with the same courage and devotion, trusting that our seeking will lead us to encounter the divine in unexpected and transformative ways.