Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 11, 2018
First Reading: Hosea 10.1-3, 7-8, 12
1Israel is a leafy vine, its fruit has been suitable to him. According to the multitude of his fruit, he has multiplied altars; according to the fertility of his land, he has abounded with graven images2His heart has been divided, so now they will cross the divide. He will break apart their images; he will plunder their sanctuaries3For now they will say, "We have no king. For we do not fear the Lord. And what would a king do for us?7Samaria has required her king to pass by, like foam on the face of the water8And the heights of the idol, the sin of Israel, will be utterly destroyed. The burr and the thistle will rise up over their altars. And they will say to the mountains, ‘Cover us,’ and to the hills, ‘Fall on us.12Sow for yourselves in justice, and harvest in the mouth of mercy; renew your fallow land. But the time when you will seek the Lord is the time when he will arrive who will teach you justice
Psalm 105
1Alleluia. Confess to the Lord, and invoke his name. Announce his works among the nations2Sing to him, and sing psalms to him. Describe all his wonders3Be praised in his holy name. Let the heart of those who seek the Lord rejoice4Seek the Lord, and be confirmed. Seek his face always5Remember his miracles, which he has done, his portents and the judgments of his mouth6you offspring of Abraham his servant, you sons of Jacob his elect7He is the Lord our God. His judgments are throughout the entire earth8He has remembered his covenant for all ages: the word that he entrusted to a thousand generations9which he assigned to Abraham, and his oath to Isaac10And he stationed the same for Jacob with a precept, and for Israel with an eternal testament11saying: To you, I will give the land of Canaan, the allotment of your inheritance12Though they may have been but a small number, very few and foreigners there13and though they passed from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people14he allowed no man to harm them, and he reproved kings on their behalf15Do not be willing to touch my Christ, and do not be willing to malign my prophets16And he called a famine upon the land, and he crushed every foundation of the bread17He sent a man before them: Joseph, who had been sold as a slave18They humbled his feet in shackles; the iron pierced his soul19until his word arrived. The eloquence of the Lord inflamed him20The king sent and released him; he was the ruler of the people, and he dismissed him21He established him as master of his house and ruler of all his possessions22so that he might instruct his princes as himself, and teach his elders prudence23And Israel entered into Egypt, and Jacob became a sojourner in the land of Ham24And he helped his people greatly, and he strengthened them over their enemies25He turned their heart to hate his people, and to deal deceitfully with his servants26He sent Moses, his servant, and Aaron, the one whom he chose27He placed with them signs of his word, and portents in the land of Ham28He sent darkness and made it conceal, and he did not afflict them with his speech29He turned their waters into blood, and he slaughtered their fish30Their land brought forth frogs, even in the inner chambers of their kings31He spoke, and there came forth common flies and gnats, in every region32He gave them a shower of hail and a burning fire, in the same land33And he struck their vineyards and their fig trees, and he crushed the trees of their region34He spoke, and the locust came forth, and the caterpillar, of which there was no number35And it devoured all the grass in their land, and it consumed all the fruit of their land36And he struck all the first-born in their land, the first-fruits of all their labor37And he led them out with silver and gold, and there was not an infirm one among their tribes38Egypt was joyful at their departure, for the fear of them lay heavy upon them39He spread a cloud for their protection, and a fire, to give them light through the night40They petitioned, and the quail came; and he satisfied them with the bread of heaven41He ruptured the rock and the waters flowed: rivers gushed in the dry land42For he had called to mind his holy word, which he kept near to his servant Abraham43And he led forth his people in exultation, and his elect in rejoicing44And he gave them the regions of the Gentiles, and they possessed the labors of the peoples45so that they might observe his justifications, and inquire about his law
Gospel: Matthew 10.1-7
1And having called together his twelve disciples, he gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out and to cure every sickness and every infirmity2Now the names of the twelve Apostles are these: the First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother3James of Zebedee, and John his brother, Philip and Bartholomew, Thomas and Matthew the tax collector, and James of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus4Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him5Jesus sent these twelve, instructing them, saying: "Do not travel by the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter into the city of the Samaritans6but instead go to the sheep who have fallen away from the house of Israel7And going forth, preach, saying: ‘For the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful messages that call us to reflect on our relationship with God and our mission in the world. The first reading from Hosea paints a vivid picture of a people who, despite their prosperity, have turned away from the Lord. Israel's heart has become divided, leading to idolatry and a rejection of God's authority. Hosea warns that such infidelity will lead to destruction, urging the people to seek justice and return to the Lord. This prophecy serves as a reminder that true fruitfulness comes not from material abundance but from a life rooted in faith and integrity.
The Gospel reading from Matthew shifts our focus to the mission of the disciples. Jesus, having called his twelve apostles, empowers them to heal and cast out unclean spirits. He instructs them to go specifically to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel," emphasizing the urgency of proclaiming the nearness of the kingdom of heaven. This mission is not about seeking power or recognition but about humility and service. The disciples are called to trust in God's providence and to focus on the task at hand, avoiding distractions.
These readings are deeply connected. Hosea's call to repentance and justice finds its fulfillment in the mission of the disciples, who are sent to proclaim the kingdom. For us today, these readings invite us to examine our own hearts. Are we allowing idols—whether material possessions, distractions, or complacency—to divide our hearts? Are we living as true disciples, sharing the Good News of God's love and mercy with others? Let us take to heart Hosea's exhortation to "sow in justice" and "renew our fallow land." May we, like the apostles, embrace our mission with courage and fidelity, trusting that the Lord is always near to guide and sustain us.