Daily Catholic Mass Readings for June 20, 2021
First Reading: Job 38.1-4, 8-11
1But the Lord, responding to Job from a whirlwind, said2Who is this that wraps sentences in unskilled words3Gird your waist like a man. I will question you, and you must answer me4Where were you, when I set the foundations of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding8Who enclosed the sea with doors, when it broke forth as if issuing from the womb9when I stationed a cloud as its garment and wrapped it in a mist as if swaddling an infant10I encircled it with my limits, and I positioned its bars and doors11And I said: "This far you will approach, and you will proceed no further, and here you will break your swelling waves.
Psalm 107
1Alleluia. Confess to the Lord, for he is good, for his mercy is with every generation2Let those who have been redeemed by the Lord say so: those whom he redeemed from the hand of the enemy and gathered from the regions3from the rising of the sun and its setting, from the north and from the sea4They wandered into solitude in a waterless place. They did not find the way of the city to be their dwelling place5They were hungry, and they were thirsty. Their soul fainted within them6And they cried out to the Lord in tribulation, and he rescued them in their necessity7And he led them in the right way, so that they might go forth to a city of habitation8Let his mercies confess to the Lord, and let his miracles confess to the sons of men9For he has satisfied the empty soul, and he has satisfied the hungry soul with good things10those sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death, shackled by extreme poverty and by iron11For they exasperated the eloquence of God, and they irritated the deliberation of the Most High12And their heart was brought low with hardships. They were weakened, and there was no one to help them13And they cried out to the Lord in their tribulation, and he freed them from their distress14And he led them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and he broke apart their chains15Let his mercies confess to the Lord, and let his miracles confess to the sons of men16For he has crushed the gates of brass and broken the iron bars17He has taken them up, from the way of their iniquity. For they were brought low, because of their injustices18Their soul abhorred all food, and they drew near even to the gates of death19And they cried out to the Lord in their tribulation, and he delivered them in their necessity20He sent his word, and he healed them, and he rescued them from their utter destruction21Let his mercies confess to the Lord, and let his miracles confess to the sons of men22And let them offer sacrifice with the sacrifice of praise, and let them announce his works in exultation23Those who descend to the sea in ships, making their livelihood in the great waters24these have seen the works of the Lord and his wonders in the deep25He spoke: and a windstorm stood up, and its waves were exalted26They ascend even to the heavens, and they descend even to the abyss. Their soul will waste away in distress27They were troubled, and they moved like a drunkard, and all their wisdom was consumed28And they cried out to the Lord in their tribulation, and he led them out of their distress29And he replaced the storm with a breeze, and its waves were stilled30And they were joyful that it was stilled, and he led them into the haven that they desired31Let his mercies confess to the Lord, and let his miracles confess to the sons of men32And let them exalt him in the Church of the people, and praise him in the chair of the elders33He has placed rivers in the desert and sources of water in dry places34a fruit-bearing land in the midst of brine, before the malice of those who dwell in it35He has placed a desert in the midst of pools of waters, and a land without water in the midst of sources of water36And he has gathered the hungry together there, and they constructed a city of habitation37And they sowed fields and planted vineyards, and they produced the fruit of nativity38And he blessed them, and they were multiplied exceedingly. And he did not diminish their beasts of burden39And they became few, and they were afflicted by the tribulation of evils and of sorrow40Contempt was poured over their leaders, and he caused them to wander in an impassable place, and not on the way41And he helped the poor out of destitution, and he stationed families like sheep42The upright will see, and they will rejoice. And every iniquity will block its mouth43Who is wise and will keep these things? And who will understand the mercies of the Lord
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5.14-17
14For the charity of Christ urges us on, in consideration of this: that if one died for all, then all have died15And Christ died for all, so that even those who live might not now live for themselves, but for him who died for them and who rose again16And so, from now on, we know no one according to the flesh. And though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him in this way no longer17So if anyone is a new creature in Christ, what is old has passed away. Behold, all things have been made new
Gospel: Mark 4.35-41
35And on that day, when evening had arrived, he said to them, "Let us cross over.36And dismissing the crowd, they brought him, so that he was in one boat, and other boats were with him37And a great wind storm occurred, and the waves broke over the boat, so that the boat was being filled38And he was in the stern of the boat, sleeping on a pillow. And they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, does it not concern you that we are perishing?39And rising up, he rebuked the wind, and he said to the sea: "Silence. Be stilled." And the wind ceased. And a great tranquility occurred40And he said to them: "Why are you afraid? Do you still lack faith?"41And they were struck with a great fear. And they said to one another, "Who do you think this is, that both wind and sea obey him?"
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful themes of trust, faith, and God's authority. The first reading from Job portrays God speaking from a whirlwind, asserting His control over creation by setting boundaries for the sea. This passage reminds us of God's wisdom and omnipotence, challenging us to humbly acknowledge His sovereignty, especially in times of uncertainty.
The second reading from 2 Corinthians shifts our focus to living for Christ. Paul emphasizes that Christ's sacrifice transforms our lives, urging us to see ourselves as new creations. This teaching invites us to move beyond self-centered living and embrace a life dedicated to Him, reflecting the radical change His love brings.
In the Gospel from Mark, Jesus calms a storm, demonstrating His divine authority. While the disciples feared the turmoil, Jesus's command to the wind and sea reveals His power. This miracle teaches us to trust in God's presence and control, even amidst life's tempests.
These readings connect through the theme of trust in God's plan. Job's encounter, Paul's exhortation, and Jesus's miracle all guide us to place our faith in God. In daily life, this means facing challenges with confidence in His providence. The moral lesson is clear: trust in God's authority, for He is our refuge and strength, calming every storm we face.