Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 16, 2017
Psalm 65
1Unto the end. A Psalm of David. A Canticle of Jeremiah and Ezekiel to the people of the captivity, when they began to go into exile. O God, a hymn adorns you in Zion, and a vow will be repaid to you in Jerusalem2Hear my prayer: all flesh will come to you3Words of iniquity have prevailed over us. And you will pardon our impieties4Blessed is he whom you have chosen and taken up. He will dwell in your courts. We will be filled with the good things of your house. Holy is your temple5wonderful in equity. Hear us, O God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of a sea far away6You prepare the mountains in your virtue, wrapped with power7You stir up the depths of the sea, the noise of its waves. The nations will be troubled8and those who dwell at the limits will be afraid, before your signs. You will make the passing of morning and evening enjoyable9You have visited the earth, and you have saturated it. You have enriched it in so many ways. The river of God has been filled with water. You have prepared their food. For thus is its preparation10Drench its streams, multiply its fruits; it will spring up and rejoice in its showers11You will bless the crown of the year with your kindness, and your fields will be filled with abundance12The beauty of the desert will fatten, and the hills will be wrapped with exultation13The rams of the sheep have been clothed, and the valleys will abound with grain. They will cry out; yes, they will even utter a hymn
Second Reading: Romans 8.18-23
18For I consider that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with that future glory which shall be revealed in us19For the anticipation of the creature anticipates the revelation of the sons of God20For the creature was made subject to emptiness, not willingly, but for the sake of the One who made it subject, unto hope21For the creature itself shall also be delivered from the servitude of corruption, into the liberty of the glory of the sons of God22For we know that every creature groans inwardly, as if giving birth, even until now23and not only these, but also ourselves, since we hold the first-fruits of the Spirit. For we also groan within ourselves, anticipating our adoption as the sons of God, and the redemption of our body
Gospel: Matthew 13.1-9
1In that day, Jesus, departing from the house, sat down beside the sea2And such great crowds were gathered to him that he climbed into a boat and he sat down. And the entire multitude stood on the shore3And he spoke many things to them in parables, saying: "Behold, a sower went out to sow seed4And while he was sowing, some fell beside the road, and the birds of the air came and ate it5Then others fell in a rocky place, where they did not have much soil. And they sprung up promptly, because they had no depth of soil6But when the sun rose up, they were scorched, and because they had no roots, they withered7Still others fell among thorns, and the thorns increased and suffocated them8Yet some others fell upon good soil, and they produced fruit: some one hundred fold, some sixty fold, some thirty fold9Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the journey of faith and the hope that sustains us. The second reading from Romans reminds us that our current struggles are but a shadow of the glory that awaits us. Paul encourages us to endure suffering with patience, knowing that creation itself groans in anticipation of redemption. This passage is part of Paul's broader discussion on the Spirit and the hope of future glory, reassuring us that our trials are not in vain.
The Gospel from Matthew presents the parable of the sower, a powerful metaphor for how we receive God's Word. Jesus illustrates four responses to the seed: some reject it immediately, others embrace it superficially but falter, some let worries choke the Word, and a few nurture it to bear abundant fruit. This parable, part of Jesus' teachings on the Kingdom of God, challenges us to examine the soil of our hearts.
Both readings converge on themes of endurance and hope. Romans emphasizes enduring suffering with hope, while the parable calls us to receive God's Word with openness and commitment. In our daily lives, we are urged to cultivate the good soil of our hearts, allowing God's Word to take root and flourish despite life's challenges. Let us trust in God's plan, nurture our faith, and bear fruit in abundance, knowing that our perseverance will yield eternal rewards.