Daily Readings - Sun Jul 11 2021

¹²And Amaziah said to Amos, "You, seer, go out and flee into the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there¹³And in Bethel, do not prophesy any longer, because it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is the house of the kingdom.¹⁴And Amos responded, and he said to Amasias, "I am not a prophet, and I am not the son of a prophet, but I am a herdsman plucking from wild fig trees¹⁵And the Lord took me, when I was following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’

Ephesians

Chapter 1

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, in Christ⁴just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy and immaculate in his sight, in charity⁵He has predestined us to adoption as sons, through Jesus Christ, in himself, according to the purpose of his will⁶for the praise of the glory of his grace, with which he has gifted us in his beloved Son⁷In him, we have redemption through his blood: the remission of sins in accord with the riches of his grace⁸which is superabundant in us, with all wisdom and prudence⁹So does he make known to us the mystery of his will, which he has set forth in Christ, in a manner well-pleasing to him,¹⁰in the dispensation of the fullness of time, so as to renew in Christ everything that exists through him in heaven and on earth

Mark

Chapter 6

⁷And he called the twelve. And he began to send them out in twos, and he gave them authority over unclean spirits⁸And he instructed them not to take anything for the journey, except a staff: no traveling bag, no bread, and no money belt⁹but to wear sandals, and not to wear two tunics¹⁰And he said to them: "Whenever you have entered into a house, stay there until you depart from that place¹¹And whoever will neither receive you, nor listen to you, as you go away from there, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.¹²And going out, they were preaching, so that people would repent¹³And they cast out many demons, and they anointed many of the sick with oil and healed them

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter powerful reminders of God’s call, our response to that call, and the profound blessings we receive as children of God. The first reading from Amos shows us a prophet who, despite being told to leave and stop speaking God’s word, remains steadfast in his mission. Amos humbly insists that he is not a professional prophet but simply a man called by God to deliver a message. This exchange highlights the tension between human authority and divine authority, as well as the courage required to obey God’s will even in the face of opposition. The second reading from Ephesians shifts our focus to the blessings we have received in Christ. Paul reminds us that before the world was even created, God chose us to be holy and blameless in His sight. This passage is a beautiful expression of God’s eternal plan of love and adoption, through which we are made sons and daughters of God. It emphasizes that our lives are not random or without purpose; rather, they are part of a grand design rooted in God’s grace and wisdom. This truth should fill us with gratitude and hope, knowing that we are loved and destined for greatness in Christ. In the Gospel, Mark recounts how Jesus sent out the Twelve Apostles two by two, giving them authority to preach, heal, and cast out demons. Jesus’ instructions to travel lightly, without extra provisions, teach us about trust in God’s providence. The Apostles’ mission was not about self-reliance but about reliance on God and the hospitality of others. This reminds us that our own mission as disciples is not about our own strength or resources but about surrendering to God’s plan and trusting in His grace. Like Amos and the Apostles, we are called to live with humility, courage, and trust, knowing that God equips us for whatever He asks of us. Let us embrace our calling, live simply, and share the Good News with joy and perseverance.