Daily Readings - Thu Mar 22 2018

First Reading - Genesis 17.3-9

³Abram fell prone on his face⁴And God said to him: "I AM, and my covenant is with you, and you will be the father of many nations⁵No longer will your name be called Abram. But you will be called Abraham, for I have established you as the father of many nations⁶And I will cause you to increase very greatly, and I will set you among the nations, and kings will come forth from you⁷And I will establish my covenant between me and you, and with your offspring after you in their generations, by a perpetual covenant: to be God to you and to your offspring after you⁸And I will give to you and to your offspring, the land of your sojourn, all the land of Canaan, as an eternal possession, and I will be their God.⁹Again God said to Abraham: "And you therefore shall keep my covenant, and your offspring after you in their generations

Gospel - John 8.51-59

John

Chapter 8

⁵¹Amen, amen, I say to you, if anyone will have kept my word, he will not see death for eternity.⁵²Therefore, the Jews said: "Now we know that you have a demon. Abraham is dead, and the Prophets; and yet you say, ‘If anyone will have kept my word, he shall not taste death for eternity.⁵³Are you greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. So who do you make yourself to be?⁵⁴Jesus responded: "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me. And you say about him that he is your God⁵⁵And yet you have not known him. But I know him. And if I were to say that I do not know him, then I would be like you, a liar. But I know him, and I keep his word⁵⁶Abraham, your father, rejoiced that he might see my day; he saw it and was glad.⁵⁷And so the Jews said to him, "You have not yet reached fifty years, and you have seen Abraham?⁵⁸Jesus said to them, "Amen, amen, I say to you, before Abraham was made, I am.⁵⁹Therefore, they took up stones to cast at him. But Jesus hid himself, and he departed from the temple

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter profound moments of divine promise and identity. The first reading from Genesis recounts God’s covenant with Abram, renaming him Abraham, promising numerous descendants, and granting the land of Canaan. This marks the beginning of God’s covenant with His chosen people. In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of eternal life through keeping His word, leading to a contentious exchange where He asserts His existence before Abraham, highlighting His divine nature. Both readings revolve around covenants and divine promises. Genesis establishes a physical covenant with Abraham, while John presents a spiritual covenant through Jesus. This progression from Old to New Testament underscores the fulfillment of God’s promises, emphasizing that faith in Jesus transcends physical heritage, offering eternal life. In our lives, these readings remind us to trust in God’s promises, just as Abraham did. Our faith should guide us to live according to Jesus’ teachings, nurturing a deep spiritual life. The moral lesson is clear: our identity and purpose stem from God, calling us to faithful living and trust in His eternal promises.