First Reading (Gn 1,1– 2,2)
Reading from the Book of Genesis:
In the beginning God created heaven and earth. The earth was desolate and empty, darkness covered the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God hovered over the waters.
God said, “Let there be light!” And the light came. God saw that the light was good and separated the light from the darkness. And God called the light “day” and the darkness “night.” There was an afternoon and a morning: the first day.
God said, “Let a firmament be made between the waters, separating them one from another.” And God made the expanse, and separated the waters that were below from those that were above the expanse. And so it was done. God called the firmament “heaven”. There was an afternoon and a morning: second day.
God said, “Let the waters under the sky come together in one place, and let the dry ground appear!” And so it was done. The dry ground God called “earth” and the gathering of waters, “sea”. And God saw that it was good.
God said, “Let the earth bring forth vegetation and seed-bearing plants, and fruit trees bearing fruit according to their kind, which have their seed in it upon the earth.” And so it was done. And the earth produced vegetation and plants bearing seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit having in it the seed of their kind. And God saw that it was good. There was an afternoon and a morning: the third day.
God said: “Let there be lights in the expanse of heaven to separate the day from the night. May they serve as signs to mark festivals, days and years, and may they shine in the firmament of the sky and illuminate the earth.” And so it was done. God made the two great lights: the greater light to preside over the day, and the lesser light to preside over the night, and the stars. God placed them in the expanse of heaven to give light to the earth, to preside over the day and the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was an evening and a morning: the fourth day.
God said: “Let the waters teem with living beings, and let birds fly over the earth, under the expanse of the sky.”
God created the great sea monsters and all the living beings that swim in multitudes in the waters, according to their kinds, and all the birds, according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters of the sea, and let the birds multiply on the earth.” There was an afternoon and a morning: fifth day.
God said, “Let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds, domestic animals, reptiles and wild animals according to their kinds.” And so it was done.
God made wild animals according to their kinds, domestic animals according to their kinds, and all the creeping things of the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.
God said, “Let us make man in our image and in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over the beasts of all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” .
And God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him: male and female he created them. And God blessed them and said to them: “Be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth and subdue it! Rule over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the sky, and over every animal that moves on the earth.”
And God said: “Behold, I give you every seed-bearing plant on the earth, and every tree that bears fruit with its seed, to be your food. And to all the beasts of the earth, and to all the birds of the air, and to everything that moves on the earth and is animated with life, I give every vegetable for food.” And so it was done.
And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. There was an evening and a morning: sixth day.
And thus heaven and earth were completed with all their host. On the seventh day, God considered all the work he had done to be finished; and on the seventh day he rested from all the work that he had done.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Second Reading (Gn 22,1-2.9a.10-13.15-18)
Reading from the Book of Genesis.
In those days, God put Abraham to the test. Calling him, he said: Abraham!” And he replied, “Here I am.” And God said: “Take your only son Isaac, whom you love so much, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on a mountain that I will show you.”
Arriving at the place indicated by God, Abraham built an altar, placed the wood on top, tied his son and placed him on the wood on top of the altar. Then, he reached out, wielding the knife to sacrifice his son.
And behold, the angel of the Lord cried out from heaven, saying, “Abraham! Abraham!” He replied: “Here I am!” And the angel said to him: “Do not reach out against your son and do not harm him! Now I know that you fear God, for you did not deny me your only son.”
Abraham, looking up, saw a ram caught in a thorn bush by its horns; He went and got him and offered him as a burnt offering in place of his son.
The angel of the Lord called Abraham from heaven a second time and said to him: “I swear by myself – declares the Lord -, since you have acted in this way and have not refused me your only son, I will bless you and make so numerous Your descendants are like the stars in the sky and like the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of your enemies. Through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me.”
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God!
Third Reading (Ex 14,– 15,1)
Reading from the Book of Exodus.
In those days: The Lord said to Moses: “Why do you cry to me for help? Tell the children of Israel to set out. As for you, lift up your rod and stretch out your arm over the sea and divide it, so that the children of Israel may walk on dry ground in the midst of the sea. For my part, I will harden the hearts of the Egyptians, so that they will follow after them, and I will be glorified at the expense of Pharaoh, and all his army, his chariots and his horsemen. And the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord, when I am glorified at the expense of Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.”
Then the angel of the Lord, who was walking in front of the camp of the children of Israel, changed his position and went behind them; and with him, at the same time, the pillar of cloud, which was in front, moved behind, inserting itself between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of the children of Israel. For those, the cloud was dark, for these, it illuminated the night. Thus, throughout the night, some could not approach each other.
Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all night long the Lord caused a strong east wind to blow over the sea; and the waters were divided. Then the children of Israel went into the middle of the sea on dry ground, while the waters formed a wall on the right and on the left.
The Egyptians gave chase, and all of Pharaoh’s horses, chariots, and horsemen followed them into the sea.
Now early in the morning the Lord cast a glance from the pillar of fire and cloud upon the Egyptian troops and put them in a panic. He blocked the wheels of their chariots, so that they could only move forward with great difficulty. Then the Egyptians said: “Let us flee from Israel! For the Lord fights for them, against us.” The Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea, so that the waters may turn against the Egyptians, their chariots and their horsemen.”
Moses stretched out his hand over the sea and, at dawn, the sea returned to its normal bed, while the fleeing Egyptians ran towards the waters, and the Lord plunged them into the middle of the waves.
The waters returned and covered chariots, horsemen and all of Pharaoh’s army, which had entered the sea in pursuit of Israel. Not a single one escaped. The children of Israel, on the other hand, had walked on dry ground through the middle of the sea, whose waters formed a wall on their right and left.
On that day the Lord delivered Israel from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shores of the sea, and the mighty hand of the Lord acting against them. The people feared the Lord, and had faith in the Lord and in Moses his servant. Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the Lord.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God!
Fourth Reading (Is 54, 5-14)
Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.
Your husband is he who created you, his name is Lord of hosts; your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, is called the God of all the earth. The Lord called you, like the abandoned woman with an afflicted soul; like a wife repudiated in her youth, she spoke your God. For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with immense compassion I welcome you back. In a moment of indignation, for a little while I hid my face from you, but with eternal mercy I had compassion on you, says your Savior, the Lord. As I did in the days of Noah, to whom I swore never to flood the earth again, so I swear that I will not be angry with you nor threaten you. The mountains may retreat and the hills shake, but my mercy will not depart from you, nothing will change the covenant of my peace, says your merciful Lord. Poor thing, beaten by windstorms, without any comfort, behold, I will set your stones on rubies, and your foundations on sapphires; I will clothe your fortifications with jasper, your gates with precious stones, and all your walls with choice stone. All your children will be disciples of the Lord, your children will have much peace; you will have justice as your foundation. Far from oppression, you will have nothing to fear; you will be free from terror, because it will not come near you.
– Word of the Lord
– Thank God!
Fifth Reading (Is 55,1-11)
Reading from the Book of the prophet Isaiah:
Thus says the Lord: “O all of you who are thirsty, come to the waters; you who have no money, hurry up, come and eat, come and buy without money, drink wine and milk, without paying anything.
Why spend money on anything other than bread; waste your salary, if not with complete satisfaction? Listen to me carefully and feed yourselves well, to the delight and reinvigoration of your body.
Incline your ear and come to me, listen and you will have life; I will make an everlasting covenant with you, I will faithfully maintain the graces given to David. Behold, I have made him a witness to the people, a leader and teacher to the nations. Behold, you will call a nation that you did not know, and people will come to you that did not know you, because of the Lord your God and the Holy One of Israel, who glorified you. Seek the Lord while he may be found; invoke him while he is near. Forsake his wicked way, and the unrighteous man his schemes; return to the Lord, who will have mercy on him, return to our God, who is generous in forgiveness.
My thoughts are not like your thoughts, and your ways are not like my ways, says the Lord. My ways are as high above your ways, and my thoughts as above your thoughts, as the heavens are above the earth.
As the rain and snow come down from the sky and never return there, but come to irrigate and fertilize the earth, and make it germinate and give seed, for planting and for food, so the word that comes out of my mouth: it will not return to me empty; rather, it will accomplish everything I want and produce the effects I intended when I sent it.”
– Word of the Lord
– Thank God!
Sixth Reading (Br 3,9-15.32–4,4)
Reading from the Book of the Prophet Baruch:
Hear, Israel, the precepts of life; pay attention, to learn wisdom. What’s going on, Israel? How do you find yourself in enemy land? You grew old in a foreign country, and defiled yourself with the dead, you were numbered among those who descend to the mansion of the dead. You have abandoned the source of wisdom! If you had continued on God’s path, you would have lived in peace forever. Learn where wisdom is, where strength is and where intelligence is, and you will also learn where longevity and life are, where the brightness of the eyes and peace are.
Who discovered where wisdom lies? Who penetrated its treasures? He who knows everything, knows it, discovered it with his intelligence; he who created the earth forever and filled it with animals and four-legged animals; he who sends the light, and it goes, calls it back, and it obeys tremblingly. The stars twinkle at their guard posts and rejoice; he calls them, and they respond: “Here we are”; and they illuminate with joy the one who made them.
This is our God, and no other can compare with him. He revealed the whole way of wisdom to Jacob his servant and to Israel his beloved. Afterwards she was seen on the earth and dwelt among men. Wisdom is the book of God’s commandments, it is the law that remains forever. All who follow it have life, and those who abandon it have death. Turn, Jacob, and embrace her; march towards splendor, in its light. Do not give your glory to another nor give up your privileges to a foreign nation. O Israel, happy are we, because it has been given to us to know what pleases God.
– Word of the Lord
– Thank God!
Seventh Reading (Ez 36,16-17a.18-28)
Reading of Ezekiel’s Prophecy:
The Word of the Lord was addressed to me in these terms: “Son of man, the house of Israel was living in his land. They stained her with their conduct and bad actions. Then I will pour out my wrath on them, because of the blood they have shed in the country and the idols with which they have stained it. I scattered them among the nations, and they were scattered throughout the countries. I judged them according to their conduct and their evil deeds. When they came to the nations where they went, they profaned my holy name; for it was said of them: ‘These are the Lord’s people; but they had to leave their country!´
Then I felt sorry for my holy name which the house of Israel was profaning among the nations where they went. Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘This is what the Lord God says: It is not for your sake that I do this, O house of Israel, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone. “I will show the holiness of my great name, which you profaned among the nations. The nations will know that I am the Lord – declares the Lord God – when I manifest my holiness in their sight through you. I will take you from among the nations, I will gather you from all countries, and I will bring you to your own land. I will pour pure water on you, and you will be cleansed. I will cleanse you from all impurities and from all idols.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will tear out your heart of stone from your body and give you a heart of flesh; I will put my spirit within you and cause you to follow my law and be careful to observe my commandments. You will live in the country that I gave to your fathers. You will be my people and I will be your God.”
– Word of the Lord
– Thank God!
Eighth Reading (Rm 6,3-11)
Reading of Saint Paul’s Letter to the Romans:
Brothers: Are you unaware that all of us, baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized in his death? Through baptism into his death, we were buried with him, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might lead a new life.
For if we were in a certain way identified with Jesus Christ by a death similar to his, we will be similar to him also by his resurrection. We know that our old man was crucified with Christ, so that the body of sin could be destroyed, so that we would no longer serve sin. Indeed, he who died is free from sin.
If, therefore, we die with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, risen from the dead, dies no more; death no longer has power over him. For he who died died to sin once for all; but he who lives, he lives for God. Therefore, you also consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Jesus Christ.
– Word of the Lord.
– Thank God.
Announcement of the Gospel (Mc 16,1-7)
— PROCLAMATION of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark.
— Glory to you, Lord.
When the Sabbath passed, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, and Salome, bought perfumes to anoint the body of Jesus. And very early, on the first day of the week, at sunrise, they went to the tomb.
And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance of the tomb for us?”
It was a very large stone. But when they looked, they saw that the stone had already been removed. They then entered the tomb and saw a young man, sitting on the right side, dressed in white.
But the young man said to them: “Do not be frightened! Are you looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified? He is resurrected. Is not here. Look at the place where they put him. Go, tell his disciples and Peter that he will go ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, as he himself said.”
— Word of Salvation.
— Glory to you, Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Today, gathered in this house of prayer, I wish to share with you a message of hope and renewal. I want to talk about the greatness of God’s love and how it manifests itself in our daily lives. As we reflect on the biblical passages presented to us, we realize that God is constantly calling us to a deeper relationship with Him.
In the first reading, we are taken back to the beginning of everything, when God created the heavens and the earth. Imagine the grandeur of this work! Through His word, He brought into existence the beauty and diversity of the world around us. But we are not just mere spectators of this wonderful creation. We are called to be His caretakers and to care with love and reverence for all He has made.
We are then confronted with a powerful story in the account of Abraham and Isaac. God asks Abraham to offer his son as a sacrifice. What a proof of faith and obedience! However, at the last moment, God intervenes and provides a lamb as a replacement for Isaac. This story reminds us that God is a God of provision, who will never ask us for more than we can handle. He will always provide us with a way out, even in the most difficult situations.
In the third reading, we witness the power of God in freeing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The Red Sea opens and they cross safely, while their pursuers are swallowed by the waters. This story reminds us that even when we feel trapped by life’s adversities, God is able to open paths where there is no path. He is our deliverer, ready to rescue us from the bondage of sin and oppression.
The fourth reading leads us to contemplate God’s unwavering love. He tells us: “Can a woman forget her little son, to the point of not having pity on the child in her womb? Even if she forgot him, I, however, would not forget you!”. This powerful image shows us God’s care and tenderness for us, his children. Even when we feel abandoned or forgotten by others, God is always by our side, ready to welcome us and love us unconditionally.
In the fifth reading, we are invited to quench our spiritual thirst in the living waters that God freely offers. He calls us to seek true satisfaction in his love and his word. While the world offers us fleeting and empty pleasures, God invites us to an inexhaustible source of joy and fullness. He assures us that his word will not return empty, but will fulfill its purpose in our lives.
The sixth reading reminds us of the importance of repentance and conversion. God calls us to return to Him wholeheartedly and turn from the ways of sin. He invites us to put off the old man and put on his love and righteousness. When we sincerely repent and turn to God, He forgives us and restores us, bringing peace and renewal.
In the seventh reading, we are reminded that God is able to transform hearts of stone into hearts of flesh. He promises to give us a new spirit and enable us to live a life of obedience and love. He invites us to be His children, so that He may be our God. We are called to be living witnesses of his transformative power, reflecting his light and his love to the world around us.
Finally, in the eighth reading, we are invited to reflect on our union with Christ through baptism. Just as Jesus died and rose again, we are called to die to sin and rise to new life in Christ. Baptism is a tangible sign of this spiritual reality, where we are incorporated into the body of Christ and receive the promise of eternal life.
Dear brothers and sisters, throughout these biblical passages, a fundamental truth stands out: God is active in our lives. He created us, calls us, frees us, loves us, offers us full life, forgives us, transforms us and unites us to Himself. He is not a distant and indifferent God, but a personal God committed to each one of us.
These spiritual truths may seem abstract or distant in our minds, but God wants them to become tangible and applicable in our daily lives. He invites us to delve into these truths and allow them to transform the way we think, act and relate to others.
When we remember the grandeur of creation, we are inspired to care for the environment and be faithful stewards of the resources God has given us. When we face challenges and trials, we are encouraged to trust in God’s provision and seek His guidance in all circumstances. When we feel abandoned or forgotten, we find comfort and security in God’s unwavering love.
In those moments when we feel thirsty and dissatisfied, we are reminded that we will only find true satisfaction in God and His love. When we stray from the right path, we are called to repentance and conversion, knowing that we will find forgiveness and renewal in God. When we find ourselves in a hard-hearted state, we are invited to allow God to transform us and empower us to love as He loves.
And finally, when we remember our baptism, we are invited to live in union with Christ, dying to selfishness and rising to a life of love and service to others. Our baptism is a constant reminder that we are called to reflect the image of Christ to the world by sharing His grace, love, and hope.
Dear brothers and sisters, may these spiritual truths inspire and challenge us today and every day of our lives. May we respond to God’s call with faith and obedience, allowing His truths to become alive and effective in us. May we be vibrant witnesses of His love, reflecting His light to those around us.
As I close this homily, I want to invite you to kneel for a moment of silence and reflection. Allow yourself to delve into the truths that were shared today and consider how they apply to your personal lives. Pray to God, asking for His guidance and strength to live according to these spiritual principles. And most of all, remember the unconditional love that God has for each of you, and allow that love to motivate you to live a life worthy of His calling.
May the grace of God be with you all, today and always. Amen.
