Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 7, 2019
First Reading: Numbers 13.1-2, 25-33; 14.1-2b, 26-29, 34-35
1And there, the Lord spoke to Moses, saying2"Send men, who may examine the land of Canaan, which I will give to the sons of Israel, one from the rulers of each tribe.25And those exploring the land returned after forty days, having circulated through the entire region26And they went to Moses and Aaron, and to the entire assembly of the sons of Israel in the desert of Paran, which is in Kadesh. And speaking to them, and to the entire multitude, they showed them the fruits of the land27And they explained, saying: "We went into the land, to which you sent us, which, it is true, flows with milk and honey, as one can know by these fruits28But it has very strong occupants, and the cities are great and also walled. We saw the race of Anak there29Amalek lives in the south. The Hethite, and the Jebusite, and the Amorite live in the mountains. And truly, the Canaanite stays near the sea and around the streams of the Jordan.30During these events, Caleb, to restrain the murmuring of the people who rose up against Moses, said, "Let us ascend and possess the land, for we will be able to obtain it.31Yet truly, the others, who had been with him, were saying, "By no means are we able to ascend to this people, because they are stronger than we are.32And before the sons of Israel they disparaged the land, which they had inspected, saying: "The land, which we viewed, devours its inhabitants. The people, upon whom we gazed, were of lofty stature33There, we saw some monsters among the sons of Anak, of the race of giants; by comparison with them, we seemed like locusts.
1And so, crying out, the entire crowd wept throughout that night2And all the sons of Israel were murmuring against Moses and Aaron, saying26And the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying27"How long will this very wicked multitude murmur against me? I have heard the complaints of the sons of Israel28Therefore, say to them: As I live, says the Lord, as you spoke in my hearing, so will I do to you29In the wilderness, here shall your carcasses lie. All you who were numbered from twenty years and above, and who have murmured against me34According to the number of the forty days, during which you examined the land, one year shall be charged for each day. And so, for forty years you shall take back your iniquities, and you shall know my retribution35For just as I have spoken, so shall I do, to this entire most wicked multitude, which has risen up together against me. In the wilderness, here shall it fade away and die.
Psalm 106
1Alleluia. Confess to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy is with every generation2Who will declare the powers of the Lord? Who make a hearing for all his praises3Blessed are those who keep judgment and who do justice at all times4Remember us, O Lord, with good will for your people. Visit us with your salvation5so that we may see the goodness of your elect, so that we may rejoice in the joy of your nation, so that you may be praised along with your inheritance6We have sinned, as have our fathers. We have acted unjustly; we have wrought iniquity7Our fathers did not understand your miracles in Egypt. They did not remember the multitude of your mercies. And they provoked you, while going up to the sea, even the Red Sea8And he saved them for the sake of his name, so that he might make known his power9And he rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up. And he led them into the abyss, as if into a desert10And he saved them from the hand of those who hated them. And he redeemed them from the hand of the enemy11And the water covered those who troubled them. Not one of them remained12And they believed his words, and they sang his praises13As soon as they had finished, they forgot his works, and they would not endure his counsel14And they coveted their desire in the desert, and they tempted God in a waterless place15And he granted to them their request, and he sent abundance into their souls16And they provoked Moses in the camp, and Aaron, the holy one of the Lord17The earth opened and swallowed Dathan, and it covered the congregation of Abiram18And a fire broke out in their congregation. A flame burned up the sinners19And they fashioned a calf at Horeb, and they adored a graven image20And they exchanged their glory for the likeness of a calf that eats hay21They forgot God, who saved them, who did great things in Egypt22miracles in the land of Ham, terrible things at the Red Sea23And he said that he would destroy them, yet Moses, his elect, stood firm before him in the breach, in order to avert his wrath, lest he destroy them24And they held the desirable land to be nothing. They did not trust in his word25And they murmured in their tabernacles. They did not heed the voice of the Lord26And he lifted up his hand over them, in order to prostrate them in the desert27and in order to cast their offspring among the nations, and to scatter them among the regions28And they were initiated into Baal of Peor, and they ate the sacrifices of the dead29And they provoked him with their inventions, and ruination was multiplied in them30Then Phinehas stood up and placated him: and so the violent disturbance ceased31And it was reputed to him unto justice, from generation to generation, even forever32And they provoked him at the Waters of Contradiction, and Moses was afflicted because of them33for they exasperated his spirit. And so he divided them with his lips34They did not destroy the nations, about which the Lord had spoken to them35And they were mixed among the Gentiles. And they learned their works36and they served their graven images, and it became a scandal to them37And they sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons38And they shed innocent blood: the blood of their sons and of their daughters, which they sacrificed to the graven images of Canaan. And the land was infected with bloodshed39and was contaminated with their works. And they fornicated according to their own inventions40And the Lord became furiously angry with his people, and he abhorred his inheritance41And he delivered them into the hands of the nations. And those who hated them became rulers over them42And their enemies afflicted them, and they were humbled under their hands43Many times, he delivered them. Yet they provoked him with their counsel, and they were brought low by their iniquities44And he saw that they were in tribulation, and he heard their prayer45And he was mindful of his covenant, and he repented according to the multitude of his mercies46And he provided for them with mercies, in the sight of all those who had seized them47Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from the nations, so that we may confess your holy name and glory in your praise48Blessed is the Lord God of Israel, from ages past, even to all ages. And let all the people say: Amen. Amen
Gospel: Matthew 15.21-28
21And departing from there, Jesus withdrew into the areas of Tyre and Sidon22And behold, a woman of Canaan, going out from those parts, cried out, saying to him: "Take pity on me, Lord, Son of David. My daughter is badly afflicted by a demon.23He did not say a word to her. And his disciples, drawing near, petitioned him, saying: "Dismiss her, for she is crying out after us.24And responding, he said, "I was not sent except to the sheep who have fallen away from the house of Israel.25But she approached and adored him, saying, "Lord, help me.26And responding, he said, "It is not good to take the bread of the children and cast it to the dogs.27But she said, "Yes, Lord, but the young dogs also eat from the crumbs that fall from the table of their masters.28Then Jesus, responding, said to her: "O woman, great is your faith. Let it be done for you just as you wish." And her daughter was healed from that very hour
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of faith, trust, and God’s providence. In the first reading from Numbers, we hear the story of the Israelites as they stand at the threshold of the Promised Land. Moses sends spies to explore Canaan, and while the land is rich and fertile, the spies return with a mix of awe and fear. They describe the strong occupants and walled cities, and the people begin to doubt God’s promise. Caleb, however, stands firm in his faith, urging the people to trust in God’s power. But the Israelites’ lack of faith leads to their punishment: they will wander in the wilderness for forty years, one year for each day the spies spent exploring the land.
In the Gospel, we encounter a very different kind of faith. A Canaanite woman, desperate to save her demon-afflicted daughter, approaches Jesus. Despite being a Gentile and facing initial rejection, she persists in her plea. Her humility and unwavering faith move Jesus to commend her, saying, “Great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” Her daughter is healed instantly. This woman’s story contrasts sharply with the Israelites’ failure to trust in God’s plan. While the Israelites doubted God’s power to give them the land, this woman trusted in Jesus’ power to heal her child, even when it seemed impossible.
These readings remind us that faith is not about having all the answers or feeling certain about the outcome. It is about trusting in God’s goodness and providence, even when the path ahead seems uncertain or difficult. Like Caleb, we are called to stand firm in our faith, even when others around us waver. And like the Canaanite woman, we are invited to approach God with humility and persistence, knowing that our prayers are heard and that God’s grace can overcome even the greatest challenges. May we, like these examples, grow in faith and trust in God’s plan for our lives.