Daily Catholic Mass Readings for May 30, 2017

First Reading: Acts 20.17-27

¹⁷Then, sending from Miletus to Ephesus, he called those greater by birth in the church¹⁸And when they had come to him and were together, he said to them: "You know that from the first day when I entered into Asia, I have been with you, for the entire time, in this manner¹⁹serving the Lord, with all humility and despite the tears and trials which befell me from the treacheries of the Jews²⁰how I held back nothing that was of value, how well I have preached to you, and that I have taught you publicly and throughout the houses²¹testifying both to Jews and to Gentiles about repentance in God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ²²And now, behold, being obliged in spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there²³except that the Holy Spirit, throughout every city, has cautioned me, saying that chains and tribulations await me at Jerusalem²⁴But I dread none of these things. Neither do I consider my life to be more precious because it is my own, provided that in some way I may complete my own course and that of the ministry of the Word, which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the Gospel of the grace of God²⁵And now, behold, I know that you will no longer see my face, all of you among whom I have traveled, preaching the kingdom of God²⁶For this reason, I call you as witnesses on this very day: that I am clean from the blood of all²⁷For I have not turned aside in the least from announcing every counsel of God to you

Psalm 68

Psalms

Chapter 68

¹Unto the end. A Canticle Psalm of David himself. May God rise up, and may his enemies be scattered, and may those who hate him flee from before his face²Just as smoke vanishes, so may they vanish. Just as wax flows away before the face of fire, so may sinners pass away before the face of God³And so, let the just feast, and let them exult in the sight of God and be delighted in gladness⁴Sing to God, sing a psalm to his name. Make a path for him, who ascends over the west. The Lord is his name. Exult in his sight; they will be stirred up before his face⁵the father of orphans and the judge of widows. God is in his holy place⁶It is God who makes men dwell in a house under one custom. He leads out those who are strongly bound, and similarly, those who exasperate, who dwell in sepulchers⁷O God, when you departed in the sight of your people, when you passed through the desert⁸the earth was moved, for the heavens rained down before the face of the God of Sinai, before the face of the God of Israel⁹You will set aside for your inheritance, O God, a willing rain. And though it was weak, truly, you have made it perfect¹⁰Your animals will dwell in it. O God, in your sweetness, you have provided for the poor¹¹The Lord will give the word to evangelizers, along with great virtue¹²The King of virtue is beloved among the beloved. And the beauty of the house will divide spoils¹³If you take your rest in the midst of the clergy, you will be like a dove whose wings are covered with fine silver and edged with pale gold¹⁴When heaven discerns kings to be over her, they will be whitened with the snows of Zalmon¹⁵The mountain of God is a fat mountain, a dense mountain, a thick mountain¹⁶So then, why are you distrustful of dense mountains? The mountain on which God is well pleased to dwell, even there, the Lord will dwell until the end¹⁷The chariot of God is ten thousand fold: thousands rejoice. The Lord is with them in Sinai, in the holy place¹⁸You have ascended on high; you have taken captivity captive. You have accepted gifts among men. For even those who do not believe dwell with the Lord God¹⁹Blessed is the Lord, day after day. The God of our salvation will make our journey prosper for us²⁰Our God is the God who will bring about our salvation, and our Lord is the Lord who has brought an end to death²¹So then, truly, God will break the heads of his enemies, the hairy skull of those who wander around in their offenses²²The Lord said: I will turn them away from Bashan, I will turn them into the depths of the sea²³so that your feet may be soaked in the blood of your enemies, so that the tongue of your dogs may be soaked with the same²⁴O God, they have seen your arrival, the arrival of my God, of my king who is in a holy place²⁵The leaders went ahead, united with the singers of psalms, in the midst of girls playing on timbrels²⁶In the churches, bless the Lord God from the fountains of Israel²⁷In that place, Benjamin is a youth in ecstasy of mind. The leaders of Judah are their governors: the leaders of Zebulun, the leaders of Naphtali²⁸Command by your virtue, O God. Confirm in this place, O God, what you have wrought in us²⁹Before your temple in Jerusalem, kings will offer gifts to you³⁰Rebuke the wild beasts of the reeds, a congregation of bulls with the cows of the people, for they seek to exclude those who have been tested like silver. Scatter the nations that are pleased by wars³¹Ambassadors will come out of Egypt. Ethiopia will offer in advance her hands to God³²Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth. Sing psalms to the Lord. Sing psalms to God³³He ascends, up to the heaven of the heavens, toward the east. Behold, he will utter his voice, the voice of virtue³⁴Give glory to God beyond Israel. His magnificence and his virtue is in the clouds³⁵God is wonderful in his saints. The God of Israel himself will give virtue and strength to his people. Blessed is God

Sermon

In today's reading from Acts 20:17-27, Paul bids farewell to the Ephesian elders, reflecting on his ministry with humility and resolve. He recounts his time with them, highlighting his unwavering commitment to preach the Gospel despite facing trials and tribulations. Paul expresses his determination to continue his mission to Jerusalem, acknowledging the hardships ahead yet trusting in God's plan. The context of this passage is Paul's journey to Jerusalem, where he anticipates facing imprisonment and persecution. He emphasizes his role as a servant of the Lord, dedicated to spreading the message of repentance and faith. Paul's farewell is not just a personal reflection but a call to the elders to remain faithful and committed to their own ministries. In our daily lives, we can draw inspiration from Paul's example. His humility and perseverance remind us to stay grounded in our faith, even when faced with challenges. We are called to embrace our own missions with dedication, trusting in God's guidance. The moral lesson here is the importance of perseverance and humility, trusting that our efforts, though difficult, are part of a greater divine plan. Let us strive to emulate Paul's spirit, committing ourselves to our faith and trusting in God's will.