Daily Catholic Mass Readings for September 16, 2019
First Reading: 1 Timothy 2.1-7
1And so I beg you, first of all, to make supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings for all men2for kings, and for all who are in high places, so that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all piety and chastity3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior4who wants all men to be saved and to arrive at an acknowledgment of the truth5For there is one God, and one mediator of God and of men, the man Christ Jesus6who gave himself as a redemption for all, as a testimony in its proper time7Of this testimony, I have been appointed a preacher and an Apostle, (I speak the truth, I do not lie) as a teacher of the Gentiles, in faith and in truth
Psalm 28
1A Psalm of David himself. To you, Lord, I will cry out. My God, do not be silent toward me. For if you remain silent toward me, I will become like those who descend into the pit2Hear, O Lord, the voice of my supplication, when I pray to you, when I lift up my hands toward your holy temple3Do not draw me away together with sinners; and let me not perish with those who work iniquity, who speak peacefully to their neighbor, yet evils are in their hearts4Give to them according to their works and according to the wickedness of their inventions. Assign to them according to the works of their hands. Repay them with their own retribution5Since they have not understood the works of the Lord and the works of his hands, you will destroy them, and you will not build them up6Blessed is the Lord, for he has heard the voice of my supplication7The Lord is my helper and my protector. In him, my heart has hoped and I have been helped. And my flesh has flourished again. And from my will, I shall confess to him8The Lord is the strength of his people and the protector of the salvation of his Christ9O Lord, save your people and bless your inheritance, and reign over them and exalt them, even unto eternity
Gospel: Luke 7.1-10
1And when he had completed all his words in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum2Now the servant of a certain centurion was dying, due to an illness. And he was very dear to him3And when he had heard about Jesus, he sent elders of the Jews to him, petitioning him, so that he would come and heal his servant4And when they had come to Jesus, they petitioned him anxiously, saying to him: "He is worthy that you should provide this to him5For he loves our nation, and he has built a synagogue for us.6Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying: "Lord, do not trouble yourself. For I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof7Because of this, I also did not consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant shall be healed8For I also am a man placed under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.9And upon hearing this, Jesus was amazed. And turning to the multitude following him, he said, "Amen I say to you, not even in Israel have I found such great faith.10And those who had been sent, upon returning to the house, found that the servant, who had been sick, was now healthy
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the universal nature of God’s love and the power of faith and humility. In the first reading from 1 Timothy, St. Paul emphasizes the importance of prayer for all people, especially those in positions of authority, so that we might live peaceful and godly lives. He reminds us that God desires the salvation of all and that Jesus Christ is the one mediator between God and humanity, who gave himself as a ransom for all. This passage underscores the Catholic belief in the universal mission of the Church and the necessity of prayer for the entire world.
In the Gospel, we encounter a centurion whose servant is healed by Jesus. The centurion, though a Gentile, shows remarkable faith in Jesus’ power, humbly recognizing his unworthiness to have Jesus enter his home. Jesus praises the centurion’s faith, noting that even in Israel, he had not encountered such great faith. This story highlights the universality of God’s grace and the fact that faith can be found in unexpected places. It also teaches us about the importance of humility and trust in God’s power.
These readings remind us that our faith is not limited to ourselves or our own communities but extends to all people. We are called to pray for everyone, just as St. Paul urges, and to trust in God’s providence, just as the centurion did. In our daily lives, we can apply this by fostering a spirit of prayer for those around us, especially those we might not usually think to pray for. Let us also cultivate humility and faith, recognizing that God’s grace is at work in ways we may not always see or understand. May we, like the centurion, trust in God’s power and allow His love to reach beyond our own boundaries.