Daily Catholic Mass Readings for March 3, 2019
First Reading: Sirach 27.4-7
4If you do not hold yourself steadfastly to the fear of the Lord, your house will be quickly overthrown5Just as the dust remains when one shakes a sieve, so will the doubt of a man remain in his thoughts6The furnace tests the potter’s vessels, and the trial of the tribulation tests just men7As the pruning of a tree reveals its fruit, so does a word reveal the thoughts in the heart of a man
Psalm 92
1A Canticle Psalm. On the day of the Sabbath. It is good to confess to the Lord and to sing psalms to your name, O Most High2to announce your mercy in the morning, and your truth throughout the night3upon the ten strings, upon the psaltery, with a canticle, upon stringed instruments4For you, O Lord, have delighted me with your doings, and I will exult in the works of your hands5How great are your works, O Lord! Your thoughts have been made exceedingly deep6A foolish man will not know these things, and a senseless one will not understand7when sinners will have risen up like grass, and when all those who work iniquity will have appeared, that they shall pass away, age after age8But you, O Lord, are the Most High for all eternity9For behold your enemies, O Lord, for behold your enemies will perish, and all those who work iniquity will be dispersed10And my horn will be exalted like that of the single-horned beast, and my old age will be exalted in fruitful mercy11And my eye has looked down upon my enemies, and my ear will hear of the malignant rising up against me12The just one will flourish like the palm tree. He will be multiplied like the cedar of Lebanon13Those planted in the house of the Lord will flourish in the courts of the house of our God14They will still be multiplied in a fruitful old age, and they will endure well15so that they may announce that the Lord our God is righteous and that there is no iniquity in him
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15.54-58
54And when this mortality has been clothed with immortality, then the word that was written shall occur: "Death is swallowed up in victory.55"O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?56Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law57But thanks be to God, who has given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ58And so, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and unmovable, abounding always in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not useless in the Lord
Gospel: Luke 6.39-45
39Now he told them another comparison: "How can the blind lead the blind? Would they not both fall into a pit40The disciple is not above his teacher. But each one will be perfected, if he is like his teacher41And why do you see the straw that is in your brother’s eye, while the log that is in your own eye, you do not consider42Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, allow me to remove the straw from your eye,’ while you yourself do not see the log in your own eye? Hypocrite, first remove the log from your own eye, and then will you see clearly, so that you may lead out the straw from your brother’s eye43For there is no good tree which produces bad fruit, nor does an evil tree produce good fruit44For each and every tree is known by its fruit. For they do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather the grape from the bramble bush45A good man, from the good storehouse of his heart, offers what is good. And an evil man, from the evil storehouse, offers what is evil. For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on the essence of faith, self-examination, and the authenticity of our actions. The first reading from Sirach reminds us that true faith must be steadfast, even in the face of trials. It uses vivid metaphors—a sieve and a furnace—to illustrate how our commitment to God is tested, revealing the genuineness of our hearts. This passage encourages us to embrace challenges as opportunities to deepen our faith, much like refining fire purifies metal.
The second reading from 1 Corinthians shifts our focus to the ultimate triumph of faith over death. Paul emphasizes that through Christ, death loses its power, and sin is stripped of its authority. This reading offers a message of hope, reminding us that our struggles are not in vain, as we are assured of victory through Jesus. It calls us to stand firm in our faith, knowing that our efforts to live a virtuous life are not futile but are instead fruitful in God’s eyes.
The Gospel from Luke challenges us to introspection and humility. Jesus’ parables remind us that we cannot lead others if we ourselves are not guided by wisdom. The striking image of seeing a straw in another’s eye while ignoring the log in our own highlights the hypocrisy of judging others without first examining ourselves. Jesus teaches that our words and actions are reflections of the state of our hearts, urging us to cultivate goodness within so that our outward expressions may be sincere and life-giving.
As we apply these teachings to our daily lives, we are reminded to approach each challenge with faith, trusting in God’s plan. We must be honest with ourselves, acknowledging our own shortcomings before addressing those of others. Let us nurture our hearts with love and compassion, ensuring that our actions and words bear witness to the good news of Christ. In doing so, we embody the hope and integrity that these readings call us to, living as fruitful branches of the vine that is Christ.