Daily Catholic Mass Readings for June 22, 2019
First Reading: 2 Corinthians 12.1-10
1If it is necessary (though certainly not expedient) to glory, then I will next tell of visions and revelations from the Lord2I know a man in Christ, who, more than fourteen years ago (whether in the body, I do not know, or out of the body, I do not know: God knows), was enraptured to the third heaven3And I know a certain man (whether in the body, or out of the body, I do not know: God knows)4who was enraptured into Paradise. And he heard words of mystery, which it is not permitted for man to speak5On behalf of someone like this, I will glory. But on behalf of myself, I will not glory about anything, except my infirmities6For even though I am willing to glory, I will not be foolish. But I will speak the truth. Yet I will do so sparingly, lest anyone may consider me to be anything more than what he sees in me, or anything more than what he hears from me7And lest the greatness of the revelations should extol me, there was given to me a prodding in my flesh: an angel of Satan, who struck me repeatedly8Because of this, three times I petitioned the Lord that it might be taken away from me9And he said to me: "My grace is sufficient for you. For virtue is perfected in weakness." And so, willingly shall I glory in my weaknesses, so that the virtue of Christ may live within me10Because of this, I am pleased in my infirmity: in reproaches, in difficulties, in persecutions, in distresses, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am powerful
Psalm 34
1To David, when he changed his appearance in the sight of Abimelech, and so he dismissed him, and he went away. I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise will be ever in my mouth2In the Lord, my soul will be praised. May the meek listen and rejoice3Magnify the Lord with me, and let us extol his name in itself4I sought the Lord, and he heeded me, and he carried me away from all my tribulations5Approach him and be enlightened, and your faces will not be confounded6This poor one cried out, and the Lord heeded him, and he saved him from all his tribulations7The Angel of the Lord will encamp around those who fear him, and he will rescue them8Taste and see that the Lord is sweet. Blessed is the man who hopes in him9Fear the Lord, all you his saints. For there is no destitution for those who fear him10The rich have been needy and hungry, but those who seek the Lord will not be deprived of any good thing11Come forward, sons. Listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord12Which is the man who wills life, who chooses to see good days13Prohibit your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit14Turn away from evil, and do good. Inquire about peace, and pursue it15The eyes of the Lord are on the just, and his ears are with their prayers16But the countenance of the Lord is upon those who do evil, to perish the remembrance of them from the earth17The just cried out, and the Lord heard them, and he freed them from all their tribulations18The Lord is near to those who are troubled in heart, and he will save the humble in spirit19Many are the afflictions of the just, but from them all the Lord will free them20The Lord preserves all of their bones, not one of them shall be broken21The death of a sinner is very harmful, and those who hate the just will fare badly22The Lord will redeem the souls of his servants, and none of those who hope in him will fare badly
Gospel: Matthew 6.24-34
24No one is able to serve two masters. For either he will have hatred for the one, and love the other, or he will persevere with the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth25And so I say to you, do not be anxious about your life, as to what you will eat, nor about your body, as to what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing26Consider the birds of the air, how they neither sow, nor reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of much greater value than they are27And which of you, by thinking, is able to add one cubit to his stature28And as for clothing, why are you anxious? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither work nor weave29But I say to you, that not even Solomon, in all his glory, was arrayed like one of these30So if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and cast into the oven tomorrow, how much more will he care for you, O little in faith31Therefore, do not choose to be anxious, saying: ‘What shall we eat, and what shall we drink, and with what shall we be clothed?32For the Gentiles seek all these things. Yet your Father knows that you need all these things33Therefore, seek first the kingdom of God and his justice, and all these things shall be added to you as well34Therefore, do not be anxious about tomorrow; for the future day will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its evil.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the relationship between weakness, trust, and the pursuit of God’s will. In the first reading from 2 Corinthians, St. Paul speaks of his own struggles and the revelations he received, yet he humbly acknowledges his limitations. He shares that he petitioned the Lord to remove a “thorn in the flesh,” but instead of relief, he received the assurance that God’s grace is sufficient. This profound lesson teaches us that our weaknesses are not obstacles but opportunities for God’s power to shine through us. In the Gospel, Jesus warns us against divided loyalties and anxiety about material needs. He encourages us to trust in God’s providence, pointing to the birds of the air and the lilies of the field as examples of His care. Jesus reminds us that seeking first the kingdom of God and His justice should be our priority, for all else will be given to us as well.
Both readings call us to reorient our lives toward trust and dependence on God. Paul’s willingness to embrace his infirmities and Jesus’ teachings on not worrying about tomorrow remind us that true strength lies not in self-reliance but in surrender. When we let go of the need to control every aspect of our lives, we open ourselves to the transformative power of grace. This does not mean we should be passive or irresponsible but rather that we should cultivate a deep trust that God is always at work, even in the midst of challenges.
As we apply these teachings to our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Where am I holding on to anxiety or fear? Where am I trying to rely solely on my own strength? Let us remember that God’s grace is sufficient for us, just as it was for Paul. Let us seek to live with simplicity, trusting that our heavenly Father knows what we need. By prioritizing the kingdom of God and His justice, we align our hearts with His will, and we find peace in the midst of life’s uncertainties.