Today's readings: March 22, 2009
Reading One: 2 Chr 36:14-16, 19-23 ;
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 137:1-2, 3, 4-5, 6 ;
Second Reading: Eph 2:4-10 ;
Gospel: Jn 3:14-21 ; go to this page (for all three sections listed above on one page) And here's an audio file; & reflections (video)
If you watch sports on TV, you will often see a fan holding up a sign the reads John 3:16, and we get that chapter and verse in today's Gospel. What is interesting, is that most folks have no idea what is mentioned in John 3:14, where Jesus mentions the story of Moses and the seraph serpents. Seraph refers to a type of poisonous snake, and has nothing to do with angels. Back in the days of roaming around and waiting for the promised land, the people of Israel were getting bitten by these poisonous snakes and dying. So Moses asked God for help, and God told Moses to build a bronze seraph serpent, mount it on a pole, and if anyone looked at it after being bitten by the poisonous snakes, they would not die. If you want to read the story Jesus is referring to in John 3:14, you can find it in Numbers, Chapter 21. And as you probably guessed, Jesus was pointing to how he would suffer a death on the cross.
One more comment about today's readings - I always liked John 3:16-17, because this is where Jesus tells us the answer to the all important question - why? God did all this, because He loves us.
