Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 23, 2018
First Reading: Micah 6.1-4, 6-8
1Listen to what the Lord says: Rise, contend in judgment against the mountains, and let the hills hear your voice2Let the mountains listen to the judgment of the Lord, and the strong foundations of the earth. For the judgment of the Lord is with his people, and he will enter into judgment with Israel3My people, what have I done to you, or how have I assailed you? Respond to me4For I led you out of the land of Egypt, and I freed you from the house of servitude, and I sent before your face Moses, and Aaron, and Miriam6What worthy thing might I offer to the Lord, as I bend the knee before God on high? How could I offer holocausts to him, and one year-old calves7Would the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with many thousands of fat he-goats? How could I give up my firstborn because of my evil deed, the fruit of my womb because of the sin of my soul8I will reveal to you, O man, what is good, and what the Lord requires from you, and how to act with judgment, and to love mercy, and to walk carefully with your God
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 12.38-42
38Then certain ones from the scribes and the Pharisees responded to him, saying, "Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.39And answering, he said to them: "An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign. But a sign will not be given to it, except the sign of the prophet Jonah40For just as Jonah was in the belly of the whale for three days and three nights, so shall the Son of man be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights41The men of Nineveh shall arise in judgment with this generation, and they shall condemn it. For, at the preaching of Jonah, they repented. And behold, there is a greater than Jonah here42The Queen of the South shall arise in judgment with this generation, and she shall condemn it. For she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold, there is a greater than Solomon here
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound messages that guide us in our faith journey. The first reading from Micah reminds us that God's expectations go beyond rituals. Micah conveys God's plea, recounting the blessings bestowed upon His people, such as liberation from Egypt. Yet, God seeks not sacrifices, but a life of justice, mercy, and humility. This emphasizes that true faith is lived through our actions, not just our offerings.
The Gospel from Matthew shifts our focus to Jesus' encounter with the Pharisees. They seek a sign, but Jesus refers them to the sign of Jonah, symbolizing his resurrection. He highlights the responsiveness of the people of Nineveh and the Queen of the South, who recognized God's wisdom. This serves as a call to us to move beyond seeking signs and instead embrace genuine faith, recognizing the greatness of Jesus in our midst.
Both readings intertwine, urging us to reflect on our response to God. Micah calls for ethical living, while Matthew emphasizes faith over signs. In our daily lives, this means aligning our actions with our faith, living justly, and humbly walking with God. The moral lesson is clear: our faith should be a lived experience of justice, mercy, and humility, trusting in God's presence without needing constant signs. Let us strive to embody this truth in our lives.