Daily Catholic Mass Readings for March 14, 2022
First Reading: Daniel 9.3, 4b-10
3And I set my face to the Lord, my God, to ask and make supplication with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes4And I prayed to the Lord, my God, and I confessed, and I said, "I beg you, O Lord God, great and terrible, preserving the covenant and mercy for those who love you and keep your commandments5We have sinned, we have committed iniquity, we acted impiously and have withdrawn, and we have turned aside from your commandments as well as your judgments6We have not obeyed your servants, the prophets, who have spoken in your name to our kings, our leaders, our fathers, and all the people of the land7To you, O Lord, is justice, but to us is confusion of face, just as it is on this day for the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and all Israel, for those who are near and those who are far off, in all the lands to which you have driven them, because of their iniquities by which they have sinned against you8O Lord, to us belongs confusion of face: to our kings, our leaders, and our fathers, who have sinned9But to you, the Lord our God, is mercy and atonement, for we have withdrawn from you10and we have not listened to the voice of the Lord, our God, so as to walk in his law, which he established for us by his servants, the prophets
Psalm 79
1A Psalm of Asaph. O God, the Gentiles have entered into your inheritance; they have polluted your holy temple. They have set Jerusalem as a place to tend fruit trees2They have placed the dead bodies of your servants as food for the birds of the sky, the flesh of your saints for the beasts of the earth3They have poured out their blood like water all around Jerusalem, and there was no one who would bury them4We have become a disgrace to our neighbors, an object of ridicule and mockery to those who are around us5How long, O Lord? Will you be angry until the end? Will your zeal be kindled like a fire6Pour out your wrath among the Gentiles, who have not known you, and upon the kingdoms that have not invoked your name7For they have devoured Jacob, and they have desolated his place8Do not remember our iniquities of the past. May your mercies quickly intercept us, for we have become exceedingly poor9Help us, O God, our Savior. And free us, Lord, for the glory of your name. And forgive us our sins for the sake of your name10Let them not say among the Gentiles, "Where is their God?" And may your name become known among the nations before our eyes. For the retribution of your servants’ blood, which has been poured out11may the groans of the shackled enter before you. According to the greatness of your arm, take possession of the sons of those who have been killed12And repay our neighbors sevenfold within their sinews. It is the reproach of the same ones who brought reproach against you, O Lord13But we are your people and the sheep of your pasture: we will give thanks to you in all ages. From generation to generation, we will announce your praise
Gospel: Luke 6.36-38
36Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father is also merciful37Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven38Give, and it will be given to you: a good measure, pressed down and shaken together and overflowing, they will place upon your lap. Certainly, the same measure that you use to measure out, will be used to measure back to you again.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful reflections on mercy, judgment, and the relationship between God and humanity. In Daniel’s prayer, we hear a heartfelt confession of sin and a plea for divine mercy. Daniel acknowledges the sins of his people, acknowledging that their suffering is a consequence of their infidelity to God. Yet, he also appeals to God's mercy, acknowledging that God is just and faithful, and that His mercy is available to those who turn back to Him. This reading reminds us of the importance of humility and repentance in our relationship with God.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the importance of showing mercy to others. He warns against judging or condemning others, because the measure we use to judge others will be the same measure used to judge us. He calls us to be merciful as the Father is merciful, and He promises that those who give generously will receive abundantly in return. This teaching challenges us to examine our attitudes toward others and to live out the mercy and compassion we receive from God.
The connection between these readings is clear: just as we ask for God's mercy and forgiveness, we must extend that same mercy and forgiveness to others. Daniel's prayer shows us the importance of acknowledging our own sinfulness and seeking God's pardon. Jesus' teaching in the Gospel shows us that this mercy must not remain inward but must be expressed in our relationships with others. In our daily lives, we are called to live out this twofold dynamic: humbly seeking God's mercy and freely giving it to others. Let us remember that the measure of our love for God is reflected in how we treat our neighbors, and may we strive to be instruments of God's mercy and compassion in the world.