Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 16, 2018
First Reading: Isaiah 1.10-17
10Listen to the Word of the Lord, you leaders of the people of Sodom. Listen closely to the law of our God, O people of Gomorrah11The multitude of your sacrifices, what is that to me, says the Lord? I am full. I do not desire holocausts of rams, nor the fat of fatlings, nor the blood of calves and of lambs and of he-goats12When you approach before my sight, who is it that requires these things from your hands, so that you would walk in my courts13You should no longer offer sacrifice in vain. Incense is an abomination to me. The new moons and the Sabbaths and the other feast days, I will not receive. Your gatherings are iniquitous14My soul hates your days of proclamation and your solemnities. They have become bothersome to me. I labor to endure them15And so, when you extend your hands, I will avert my eyes from you. And when you multiply your prayers, I will not heed you. For your hands are full of blood16Wash, become clean, take away the evil of your intentions from my eyes. Cease to act perversely17Learn to do good. Seek judgment, support the oppressed, judge for the orphan, defend the widow
Psalm 50
1A Psalm of Asaph. The God of gods, the Lord has spoken, and he has called the earth, from the rising of the sun even to its setting2from Zion, the brilliance of his beauty3God will arrive manifestly. Our God also will not keep silence. A fire will flare up in his sight, and a mighty tempest will surround him4He will call to heaven from above, and to the earth, to discern his people5Gather his holy ones to him, you who order his covenant above sacrifices6And the heavens will announce his justice. For God is the judge7Listen, my people, and I will speak. Listen, Israel, and I will testify for you. I am God, your God8I will not reprove you for your sacrifices. Moreover, your holocausts are ever in my sight9I will not accept calves from your house, nor he-goats from your flocks10For all the wild beasts of the forest are mine: the cattle on the hills and the oxen11I know all the flying things of the air, and the beauty of the field is with me12If I should be hungry, I would not tell you: for the whole world is mine, and all its plentitude13Shall I gnaw on the flesh of bulls? Or would I drink the blood of goats14Offer to God the sacrifice of praise, and pay your vows to the Most High15And call upon me in the day of tribulation. I will rescue you, and you will honor me16But to the sinner, God has said: Why do you discourse on my justices, and take up my covenant through your mouth17Truly, you have hated discipline, and you have cast my sermons behind you18If you saw a thief, you ran with him, and you have placed your portion with adulterers19Your mouth has abounded with malice, and your tongue has concocted deceits20Sitting, you spoke against your brother, and you set up a scandal against your mother’s son21These things you have done, and I was silent. You thought, unjustly, that I ought to be like you. But I will reprove you, and I will set myself against your face22Understand these things, you who forget God; lest at any time, he might quickly take you away, and there would be no one to rescue you23The sacrifice of praise will honor me. And in that place is the journey by which I will reveal to him the salvation of God
Gospel: Matthew 10.34 – 11.1
34Do not think that I came to send peace upon the earth. I came, not to send peace, but the sword35For I came to divide a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law36And the enemies of a man will be those of his own household37Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever loves son or daughter above me is not worthy of me38And whoever does not take up his cross, and follow me is not worthy of me39Whoever finds his life, will lose it. And whoever will have lost his life because of me, shall find it40Whoever receives you, receives me. And whoever receives me, receives him who sent me41Whoever receives a prophet, in the name of a prophet, shall receive the reward of a prophet. And whoever receives the just in the name of the just shall receive the reward of the just42And whoever shall give, even to one of the least of these, a cup of cold water to drink, solely in the name of a disciple: Amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward.
1And it happened that, when Jesus had completed instructing his twelve disciples, he went away from there in order to teach and to preach in their cities
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter a powerful message about the essence of true faith and discipleship. The first reading from Isaiah 1:10-17 confronts us with a stark reality: outward acts of worship, such as sacrifices and rituals, are meaningless if they are not accompanied by a life of justice and compassion. Isaiah speaks on behalf of God, rejecting the empty rituals of a people whose lives are marked by oppression and injustice. God calls them to true worship, which involves seeking justice, defending the vulnerable, and living with integrity.
The Gospel reading from Matthew 10:34–11:1 presents a similar challenge. Jesus speaks of the cost of discipleship, emphasizing that following Him may require sacrifice and even division. He calls us to love Him above all else and to take up our cross, embracing the challenges of living according to His teachings. Jesus also highlights the importance of small acts of kindness, such as giving a cup of water to those in need, as a reflection of our commitment to Him. This teaching reminds us that faith is not just about grand gestures but also about the everyday choices we make to live out His love.
Both readings remind us that true faith is not about outward appearances or empty rituals but about living a life that reflects God’s heart. Isaiah calls us to move beyond superficial religion to a life of justice and compassion, while Jesus challenges us to embrace the difficult yet transformative path of discipleship. In our daily lives, this means examining how we live out our faith. Are we merely going through the motions, or are we actively seeking to love, serve, and stand up for what is right? Let us remember that true worship and discipleship require us to act with integrity, kindness, and courage, reflecting God’s love in all we do.