Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 26, 2018
First Reading: Daniel 9.3, 4b-10
3And I set my face to the Lord, my God, to ask and make supplication with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes4And I prayed to the Lord, my God, and I confessed, and I said, "I beg you, O Lord God, great and terrible, preserving the covenant and mercy for those who love you and keep your commandments5We have sinned, we have committed iniquity, we acted impiously and have withdrawn, and we have turned aside from your commandments as well as your judgments6We have not obeyed your servants, the prophets, who have spoken in your name to our kings, our leaders, our fathers, and all the people of the land7To you, O Lord, is justice, but to us is confusion of face, just as it is on this day for the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, for those who are near and those who are far off, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of their iniquities by which they have sinned against you8O Lord, to us belongs confusion of face: to our kings, our leaders, and our fathers, who have sinned9But to you, the Lord our God, is mercy and atonement, for we have withdrawn from you10and we have not listened to the voice of the Lord, our God, so as to walk in his law, which he established for us by his servants, the prophets
Psalm 79
1A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the Gentiles have entered into your inheritance; they have polluted your holy temple. They have set Jerusalem as a place to tend fruit trees2They have placed the dead bodies of your servants as food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of your saints for the beasts of the earth3They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one who would bury them4We have become a disgrace to our neighbors, an object of ridicule and mockery to those who are around us5How long, O Lord? Will you be angry until the end? Will your zeal be kindled like a fire6Pour out your wrath among the Gentiles, who have not known you, and upon the kingdoms that have not invoked your name7For they have devoured Jacob, and they have desolated his place8Do not remember our iniquities of the past. May your mercies quickly intercept us, for we have become exceedingly poor9Help us, O God, our Savior. And free us, Lord, for the glory of your name. And forgive us our sins for the sake of your name10Let them not say among the Gentiles, "Where is their God?" And may your name become known among the nations before our eyes. For the retribution of your servants’ blood, which has been poured out11may the groans of the shackled enter before you. According to the greatness of your arm, take possession of the sons of those who have been killed12And repay our neighbors sevenfold within their sinews. It is the reproach of the same ones who brought reproach against you, O Lord13But we are your people and the sheep of your pasture: we will give thanks to you in all ages. From generation to generation, we will announce your praise
Gospel: Luke 6.36-38
36Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father is also merciful37Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven38Give, and it will be given to you: a good measure, pressed down and shaken together and overflowing, they will place upon your lap. Certainly, the same measure that you use to measure out, will be used to measure back to you again.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful reflections on mercy, judgment, and the relationship between God and humanity. The first reading from Daniel is a heartfelt prayer of confession and repentance. Daniel acknowledges the sins of his people, humbly admitting their failure to obey God’s commandments and their rejection of the prophets’ warnings. He pleads for mercy, recognizing that justice belongs to God while confusion and shame belong to those who have sinned. This prayer is not just an admission of guilt but also an act of trust in God’s faithfulness and mercy.
The Gospel reading from Luke shifts our focus to how we treat others. Jesus teaches that we are called to be merciful as our heavenly Father is merciful. He warns against judging or condemning others, emphasizing that the measure we use to judge will be the same measure used to judge us. This teaching is both a call to compassion and a reminder of the reciprocal nature of our actions. If we forgive and give generously, we will receive the same in return.
Together, these readings invite us to reflect on the interconnectedness of mercy, judgment, and forgiveness. Daniel’s prayer reminds us that we must first acknowledge our own need for God’s mercy before we can extend it to others. Jesus’ words in the Gospel challenge us to live out this mercy in our daily interactions, avoiding the temptation to judge or withhold forgiveness. In a world often marked by division and criticism, these readings call us to a higher standard: to be people of compassion, humility, and generosity. May we strive to imitate God’s mercy, not only in our prayer but also in our actions, that we might create a ripple effect of kindness and grace in the lives of those around us.