Daily Catholic Mass Readings for June 4, 2017
Psalm 104
1To David himself. Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, you are exceedingly great. You have clothed yourself with confession and beauty2you are dressed with light like a garment, while you stretch out heaven like a tent3You cover its heights with water. You set the clouds as your stairs. You walk upon the wings of the winds4You make your Angels a breath of life, and your ministers a burning fire5You founded the earth upon its stable base. It will not be bent from age to age6The abyss, like a garment, is its clothing. The waters will remain standing above the mountains7At your rebuke, they will flee. At the voice of your thunder, they will dread8The mountains ascend, and the plains descend, to the place which you have founded for them9You have set a limit that they will not cross. And they will not return to cover the earth10You spring forth fountains in steep valleys. The waters will cross through the midst of the mountains11All the wild beasts of the field will drink. The wild donkeys will anticipate in their thirst12Above them, the flying things of the air will dwell. From the midst of the rocks, they will utter voices13You irrigate the mountains from your heights. The earth will be satiated from the fruit of your works14producing grass for cattle and herbs for the service of men. So may you draw bread from the earth15and wine, in order to cheer the heart of man. Then he may gladden his face with oil, and bread will confirm the heart of man16The trees of the field will be saturated, along with the cedars of Lebanon, which he planted17There, the sparrows will make their nests. The leader of them is the house of the heron18The heights of the hills are for the deer; the rock is a refuge for the hedgehog19He has made the moon for seasons; the sun knows its setting20You appointed darkness, and it has become night; all the beasts of the forest will cross through it21The young lions will roar, while searching for and seizing their meal from God22The sun arose, and they were gathered together; and in their dens, they will lie down together23Man will go forth to his work and to his activities, until the evening24How great are your works, O Lord! You have made all things in wisdom. The earth has been filled with your possessions25This sea is great and its hands are spacious. There are creeping things without number: the small animals with the great26There, the ships will pass by this sea-serpent that you have formed to mock them27All these expect you to give them food in due time28What you give to them, they will gather. When you open your hand, they will all be filled with goodness29But if you turn your face away, they will be disturbed. You will take away their breath, and they will fail, and they will return to their dust30You will send forth your Spirit, and they will be created. And you will renew the face of the earth31May the glory of the Lord be for all ages. The Lord will rejoice in his works32He considers the earth, and he makes it tremble. He touches the mountains, and they smoke33I will sing to the Lord with my life. I will sing psalms to my God, as long as I am34May my speech be pleasing to him. Truly, I will take delight in the Lord35Let sinners fade away from the earth, along with the unjust, so that they may not be. Bless the Lord, O my soul
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12.3b-7, 12-13
3Because of this, I would have you know that no one speaking in the Spirit of God utters a curse against Jesus. And no one is able to say that Jesus is Lord, except in the Holy Spirit4Truly, there are diverse graces, but the same Spirit5And there are diverse ministries, but the same Lord6And there are diverse works, but the same God, who works everything in everyone7However, the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one toward what is beneficial12For just as the body is one, and yet has many parts, so all the parts of the body, though they are many, are only one body. So also is Christ13And indeed, in one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Gentiles, whether servant or free. And we all drank in the one Spirit
Gospel: John 20.19-23
19Then, when it was late on the same day, on the first of the Sabbaths, and the doors were closed where the disciples were gathered, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and he said to them: "Peace to you.20And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and side. And the disciples were gladdened when they saw the Lord21Therefore, he said to them again: "Peace to you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.22When he had said this, he breathed on them. And he said to them: "Receive the Holy Spirit23Those whose sins you shall forgive, they are forgiven them, and those whose sins you shall retain, they are retained.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the Holy Spirit’s role in uniting and empowering the Church. In the second reading from 1 Corinthians, St. Paul reminds us that while there are diverse gifts and ministries, they all come from the same Spirit. He uses the analogy of the body to emphasize that just as each part of the body has a unique function, so too does each member of the Church have a unique role to play in building up the Body of Christ. This passage encourages us to recognize and value the diversity of spiritual gifts among us, while remaining united in our shared mission.
In the Gospel, we see Jesus appearing to his disciples after the resurrection. Despite their fear and the locked doors, Jesus brings them peace and sends them out on a mission. By breathing on them and giving them the Holy Spirit, he empowers them to forgive sins and to continue his work in the world. This moment is foundational for the Church’s understanding of its mission and identity. Just as the disciples were sent out in the power of the Spirit, so too are we called to live as missionary disciples, sharing the peace and reconciliation of Christ with others.
These readings remind us that the Holy Spirit is the source of unity and diversity in the Church. The Spirit binds us together as one Body, even as it equips each of us with unique gifts and callings. In our daily lives, we are called to recognize the Spirit’s presence within us and among us. Let us ask for the grace to embrace our diverse roles, to work together in harmony, and to be open to the Spirit’s guidance. May we, like the disciples, be instruments of God’s peace and reconciliation in a world that so desperately needs it.