Daily Catholic Mass Readings for September 11, 2019
First Reading: Colossians 3.1-11
1Therefore, if you have risen together with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God2Consider the things that are above, not the things that are upon the earth3For you have died, and so your life is hidden with Christ in God4When Christ, your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory5Therefore, mortify your body, while it is upon the earth. For because of fornication, impurity, lust, evil desires, and avarice, which are a kind of service to idols6the wrath of God has overwhelmed the sons of unbelief7You, too, walked in these things, in times past, when you were living among them8But now you must set aside all these things: anger, indignation, malice, blasphemy, and indecent speech from your mouth9Do not lie to one another. Strip yourselves of the old man, with his deeds10and clothe yourself with the new man, who has been renewed by knowledge, in accord with the image of the One who created him11where there is neither Gentile nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian nor Scythian, servant nor free. Instead, Christ is everything, in everyone
Psalm 145
1The Praise of David himself. I will extol you, O God, my king. And I will bless your name, in this time and forever and ever2Throughout every single day, I will bless you. And I will praise your name, in this time and forever and ever3The Lord is great and exceedingly praiseworthy. And there is no end to his greatness4Generation after generation will praise your works, and they will declare your power5They will tell of the magnificent glory of your sanctity. And they will discourse of your wonders6And they will talk about the virtue of your terrible acts. And they will describe your greatness7They will shout about the memory of your abundant sweetness. And they will exult in your justice8The Lord is compassionate and merciful, patient and full of mercy9The Lord is sweet to all things, and his compassion is upon all his works10O Lord, may all your works confess to you, and let your holy ones bless you11They will speak of the glory of your kingdom, and they will declare your power12so as to make known to the sons of men your power and the glory of your magnificent kingdom13Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages, and your dominion is with all, from generation to generation. The Lord is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works14The Lord lifts up all who have fallen down, and he sets upright all who have been thrown down15O Lord, all eyes hope in you, and you provide their food in due time16You open your hand, and you fill every kind of animal with a blessing17The Lord is just in all his ways and holy in all his works18The Lord is near to all who call upon him, to all who call upon him in truth19He will do the will of those who fear him, and he will heed their supplication and accomplish their salvation20The Lord watches over all who love him. And he will destroy all sinners21My mouth will speak the praise of the Lord, and may all flesh bless his holy name, in this time and forever and ever
Gospel: Luke 6.20-26
20And lifting up his eyes to his disciples, he said: "Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God21Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who are weeping now, for you shall laugh22Blessed shall you be when men will have hated you, and when they will have separated you and reproached you, and thrown out your name as if evil, because of the Son of man23Be glad in that day and exult. For behold, your reward is great in heaven. For these same things their fathers did to the prophets24Yet truly, woe to you who are wealthy, for you have your consolation25Woe to you who are satisfied, for you will be hungry. Woe to you who laugh now, for you will mourn and weep26Woe to you when men will have blessed you. For these same things their fathers did to the false prophets
Sermon
In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on the transformative power of living a life rooted in Christ. The passage from Colossians urges us to seek heavenly things, to mortify our sinful desires, and to clothe ourselves in the new man created in God's image. This is a call to internal transformation, where our old selves are stripped away, and we are renewed in Christ. The Gospel from Luke presents us with the Beatitudes, where Jesus challenges us to reevaluate our understanding of true happiness. He blesses those who are poor, hungry, and mourning, while warning those who are wealthy and complacent. This is a call to external transformation, where our societal norms are turned upside down, and we are called to live in a way that reflects God's values rather than the world's.
The connection between these readings lies in their emphasis on transformation. In Colossians, we are called to transform our inner lives by putting on the new self, while in Luke, we are called to transform our external circumstances by living out the Beatitudes. Together, they remind us that following Christ is not just about belief but about a radical change in how we live. This transformation is not just for our own sake but for the sake of others, as we are called to reflect Christ's love and justice in the world.
Applying this to our daily lives, we are challenged to examine where we are holding onto old patterns of sin and where we are clinging to worldly comfort. Are we allowing Christ to transform us, or are we resisting His call to renewal? Let us ask ourselves: Are we living as people who have been raised with Christ, seeking the things that are above? Are we living out the Beatitudes, blessing those who are marginalized and being a source of hope for those in need? The moral lesson here is clear: True happiness and fulfillment come not from the things of this world but from living a life transformed by Christ, seeking His kingdom, and reflecting His love in all we do.