Daily Catholic Mass Readings for June 1, 2022
First Reading: Acts 20.28-38
28Take care of yourselves and of the entire flock, over which the Holy Spirit has stationed you as Bishops to rule the Church of God, which he has purchased by his own blood29I know that after my departure ravenous wolves will enter among you, not sparing the flock30And from among yourselves, men will rise up, speaking perverse things in order to entice disciples after them31Because of this, be vigilant, retaining in memory that throughout three years I did not cease, night and day, with tears, to admonish each and every one of you32And now, I commend you to God and to the Word of his grace. He has the power to build up, and to give an inheritance to all who are sanctified33I have coveted neither silver and gold, nor apparel,34as you yourselves know. For that which was needed by me and by those who are with me, these hands have provided35I have revealed all things to you, because by laboring in this way, it is necessary to support the weak and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ 36And when he had said these things, kneeling down, he prayed with all of them37Then a great weeping occurred among them all. And, falling upon the neck of Paul, they kissed him38being grieved most of all over the word which he had said, that they would never see his face again. And they brought him to the ship
Psalm 68
1Unto the end. A Canticle Psalm of David himself. May God rise up, and may his enemies be scattered, and may those who hate him flee from before his face2Just as smoke vanishes, so may they vanish. Just as wax flows away before the face of fire, so may sinners pass away before the face of God3And so, let the just feast, and let them exult in the sight of God and be delighted in gladness4Sing to God, sing a psalm to his name. Make a path for him, who ascends over the west. The Lord is his name. Exult in his sight; they will be stirred up before his face5the father of orphans and the judge of widows. God is in his holy place6It is God who makes men dwell in a house under one custom. He leads out those who are strongly bound, and similarly, those who exasperate, who dwell in sepulchers7O God, when you departed in the sight of your people, when you passed through the desert8the earth was moved, for the heavens rained down before the face of the God of Sinai, before the face of the God of Israel9You will set aside for your inheritance, O God, a willing rain. And though it was weak, truly, you have made it perfect10Your animals will dwell in it. O God, in your sweetness, you have provided for the poor11The Lord will give the word to evangelizers, along with great virtue12The King of virtue is beloved among the beloved. And the beauty of the house will divide spoils13If you take your rest in the midst of the clergy, you will be like a dove whose wings are covered with fine silver and edged with pale gold14When heaven discerns kings to be over her, they will be whitened with the snows of Zalmon15The mountain of God is a fat mountain, a dense mountain, a thick mountain16So then, why are you distrustful of dense mountains? The mountain on which God is well pleased to dwell, even there, the Lord will dwell until the end17The chariot of God is ten thousand fold: thousands rejoice. The Lord is with them in Sinai, in the holy place18You have ascended on high; you have taken captivity captive. You have accepted gifts among men. For even those who do not believe dwell with the Lord God19Blessed is the Lord, day after day. The God of our salvation will make our journey prosper for us20Our God is the God who will bring about our salvation, and our Lord is the Lord who has brought an end to death21So then, truly, God will break the heads of his enemies, the hairy skull of those who wander around in their offenses22The Lord said: I will turn them away from Bashan, I will turn them into the depths of the sea23so that your feet may be soaked in the blood of your enemies, so that the tongue of your dogs may be soaked with the same24O God, they have seen your arrival, the arrival of my God, of my king who is in a holy place25The leaders went ahead, united with the singers of psalms, in the midst of girls playing on timbrels26In the churches, bless the Lord God from the fountains of Israel27In that place, Benjamin is a youth in ecstasy of mind. The leaders of Judah are their governors: the leaders of Zebulun, the leaders of Naphtali28Command by your virtue, O God. Confirm in this place, O God, what you have wrought in us29Before your temple in Jerusalem, kings will offer gifts to you30Rebuke the wild beasts of the reeds, a congregation of bulls with the cows of the people, for they seek to exclude those who have been tested like silver. Scatter the nations that are pleased by wars31Ambassadors will come out of Egypt. Ethiopia will offer in advance her hands to God32Sing to God, O kingdoms of the earth. Sing psalms to the Lord. Sing psalms to God33He ascends, up to the heaven of the heavens, toward the east. Behold, he will utter his voice, the voice of virtue34Give glory to God beyond Israel. His magnificence and his virtue is in the clouds35God is wonderful in his saints. The God of Israel himself will give virtue and strength to his people. Blessed is God
Gospel: John 17.11b-19
11And though I am not in the world, these are in the world, and I am coming to you. Father most holy, preserve them in your name, those whom you have given to me, so that they may be one, even as we are one12While I was with them, I preserved them in your name. I have guarded those whom you have given to me, and not one of them is lost, except the son of perdition, so that the Scripture may be fulfilled13And now I am coming to you. But I am speaking these things in the world, so that they may have the fullness of my joy within themselves14I have given them your word, and the world has hated them. For they are not of the world, just as I, too, am not of the world15I am not praying that you would take them out of the world, but that you would preserve them from evil16They are not of the world, just as I also am not of the world17Sanctify them in truth. Your word is truth18Just as you have sent me into the world, I also have sent them into the world19And it is for them that I sanctify myself, so that they, too, may be sanctified in truth
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound moments of leadership and devotion. The first reading from Acts 20:28-38 captures Paul's heartfelt farewell to the elders of Ephesus. He entrusts them with the care of the Church, purchased by God's blood, warning them of impending challenges and false teachers. Paul emphasizes his own integrity and the importance of generosity, concluding with an emotional departure. The Gospel, John 17:11b-19, presents Jesus' prayer for His disciples, seeking their protection and unity in God's name. He acknowledges the world's hatred but desires their sanctification in truth, not removal from the world.
Both readings are set in contexts of transition and concern for the community. Paul is leaving Ephesus, knowing he won't return, while Jesus is preparing His disciples for His departure. The common theme is the importance of unity and protection. Paul urges vigilance and selflessness, while Jesus prays for unity and sanctification, highlighting the need to remain in the world while being set apart by God's truth.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to embrace unity and trust in God's protection. Just as Paul and Jesus entrusted their communities to God, we too can find strength in prayer and fidelity. We are reminded to live generously and remain faithful, even in challenging times. The moral lesson is clear: our unity in Christ and adherence to His truth are our greatest protections, enabling us to thrive in a world that often opposes our values. Let us strive to embody this unity and trust, living as sanctified beings in a world that needs God's light.