Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 10, 2022
First Reading: Deuteronomy 30.10-14
10but only if you will listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and keep his precepts and ceremonies, which have been written in this law, and only if you return to the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul11This commandment, which I entrust to you today, is not high above you, nor has it been placed far away12Nor is it in heaven, so that you would be able to say, ‘Which of us can ascend to heaven, so as to carry it back to us, and so that we may hear it and fulfill it in deed?13Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you would excuse yourself by saying, ‘Which of us is able to cross the sea, and to carry it back to us, so that we may be able to hear and to do what has been instructed?14Instead, the word is near to you, in your mouth and in your heart, so that you may do it
Psalm 69
1Unto the end. For those who will be changed: of David. Save me, O God, for the waters have entered, even to my soul2I have become stuck in a deep quagmire, and there is no firm footing. I have arrived at the height of the sea, and a tempest has overwhelmed me3I have endured hardships, while crying out. My jaws have become hoarse; my eyes have failed. Meanwhile, I hope in my God4Those who hate me without cause have been multiplied beyond the hairs of my head. My enemies, who persecuted me unjustly, have been strengthened. Then I was required to pay for what I did not take5O God, you know my foolishness, and my offenses have not been hidden from you6Let those who wait for you, O Lord, the Lord of hosts, not be shamed in me. Let those who seek you, O God of Israel, not be confounded over me7For because of you, I have endured reproach; confusion has covered my face8I have become a stranger to my brothers and a sojourner to the sons of my mother9For zeal for your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproached you have fallen upon me10And I covered my soul with fasting, and it has become a reproach to me11And I put on a haircloth as my garment, and I became a parable to them12Those who sat at the gate spoke against me, and those who drank wine made me their song13But as for me, truly, my prayer is to you, O Lord. This time has pleased you well, O God. In the multitude of your mercy, in the truth of your salvation, hear me14Rescue me from the quagmire, so that I may not become trapped. Free me from those who hate me and from deep waters15Do not allow the tempest of water to submerge me, nor the deep to absorb me. And do not allow the well to close in on me16Hear me, O Lord, for your mercy is kind. Look upon me, according to the fullness of your compassion17And do not turn your face away from your servant, for I am in trouble: heed me quickly18Attend to my soul, and free it. Rescue me, because of my enemies19You know my reproach, and my confusion, and my reverence20All those who trouble me are in your sight; my heart has anticipated reproach and misery. And I sought for one who might grieve together with me, but there was no one, and for one who might console me, and I found no one21And they gave me gall for my food. And in my thirst, they gave me vinegar to drink22Let their table be a snare before them, and a retribution, and a scandal23Let their eyes be darkened, so that they may not see, and may their back always be crooked24Pour out your indignation upon them, and may the fury of your anger take hold of them25May their dwelling place be deserted, and may there be no one who dwells in their tabernacles26For they persecuted whomever you struck. And they have added to the grief of my wounds27Assign an iniquity upon their iniquity, and may they not enter into your justice28Delete them from the Book of the Living, and let them not be written down with the just29I am poor and sorrowful, but your salvation, O God, has taken me up30I will praise the name of God with a canticle, and I will magnify him with praise31And it will please God more than a new calf producing horns and hoofs32Let the poor see and rejoice. Seek God, and your soul will live33For the Lord has heard the poor, and he has not despised his prisoners34Let the heavens and the earth praise him: the sea, and everything that crawls in it35For God will save Zion, and the cities of Judah will be built up. And they will dwell there, and they will acquire it by inheritance36And the offspring of his servants will possess it; and those who love his name will dwell in it
Second Reading: Colossians 1.15-20
15He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of every creature16For in him was created everything in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones, or dominations, or principalities, or powers. All things were created through him and in him17And he is before all, and in him all things continue18And he is the head of his body, the Church. He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead, so that in all things he may hold primacy19For the Father is well-pleased that all fullness reside in him20and that, through him, all things be reconciled to himself, making peace through the blood of his cross, for the things that are on earth, as well as the things that are in heaven
Gospel: Luke 10.25-37
25And behold, a certain expert in the law rose up, testing him and saying, "Teacher, what must I do to possess eternal life?26But he said to him: "What is written in the law? How do you read it?27In response, he said: "You shall love the Lord your God from your whole heart, and from your whole soul, and from all your strength, and from all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.28And he said to him: "You have answered correctly. Do this, and you will live.29But since he wanted to justify himself, he said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?30Then Jesus, taking this up, said: "A certain man descended from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he happened upon robbers, who now also plundered him. And inflicting him with wounds, they went away, leaving him behind, half-alive31And it happened that a certain priest was descending along the same way. And seeing him, he passed by32And similarly a Levite, when he was near the place, also saw him, and he passed by33But a certain Samaritan, being on a journey, came near him. And seeing him, he was moved by mercy34And approaching him, he bound up his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them. And setting him on his pack animal, he brought him to an inn, and he took care of him35And the next day, he took out two denarii, and he gave them to the proprietor, and he said: ‘Take care of him. And whatever extra you will have spent, I will repay to you at my return.36Which of these three, does it seem to you, was a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?37Then he said, "The one who acted with mercy toward him." And Jesus said to him, "Go, and act similarly.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on the essence of faith and how it translates into our actions. The first reading from Deuteronomy reminds us that God’s commandments are not distant or inaccessible but are near to us, in our hearts and mouths. This emphasizes the importance of internalizing our faith and living it out in our daily lives. The second reading from Colossians beautifully describes Christ as the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, and the reconciler of all things. This highlights Jesus’ central role in creation and redemption, reminding us that our faith is rooted in His divine love.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the Good Samaritan, which challenges us to redefine who our neighbor is. The Samaritan, despite cultural and religious barriers, shows compassion to the wounded man, demonstrating that being a neighbor is not about proximity or similarity but about extending love and mercy to all. This parable underscores the call to move beyond our comfort zones and prejudices to serve others selflessly.
These readings are interconnected in their call to live out our faith actively. Deuteronomy encourages us to embrace God’s word in our hearts, Colossians reminds us of the universal love of Christ, and the parable of the Good Samaritan shows us how to put this love into practice. As we go about our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Who are the “Samaritans” in our midst? How can we show mercy and compassion to those we encounter? May we, like the Good Samaritan, allow God’s love to flow through us, transforming the world around us.