Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 31, 2023
First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 3.7-13
7As a result, we were consoled in you, brothers, in the midst of all our difficulties and tribulations, through your faith8For we now live so that you may stand firm in the Lord9For what thanks would we be able to repay to God because of you, for all the joy with which we rejoice over you before our God10For night and day, ever more abundantly, we are praying that we may see your face, and that we may complete those things that are lacking in your faith11But may God our Father himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you12And may the Lord multiply you, and make you abound in your charity toward one another and toward all, just as we also do toward you13in order to confirm your hearts without blame, in sanctity, before God our Father, unto the return of our Lord Jesus Christ, with all his saints. Amen
Psalm 90
1A prayer of Moses, the man of God. O Lord, you have been our refuge from generation to generation2Before the mountains became, or the land was formed along with the world: from ages past, even to all ages, you are God3And, lest man be turned aside in humiliation, you have said: Be converted, O sons of men4For a thousand years before your eyes are like the days of yesterday, which have passed by, and they are like a watch of the night5which was held for nothing: so their years shall be6In the morning, he may pass away like grass; in the morning, he may flower and pass away. In the evening, he will fall, and harden, and become dry7For, at your wrath, we have withered away, and we have been disturbed by your fury8You have placed our iniquities in your sight, our age in the illumination of your countenance9For all our days have faded away, and at your wrath, we have fainted. Our years will be considered to be like a spider’s web10The days of our years in them are seventy years. But in the powerful, they are eighty years, and more of these are with hardship and sorrow. For mildness has overwhelmed us, and we shall be corrected11Who knows the power of your wrath? And, before fear, can your wrat12be numbered? So make known your right hand, along with men learned in heart, in wisdom13Return, O Lord, how long? And may you be persuaded on behalf of your servants14We were filled in the morning with your mercy, and we exulted and delighted all our days15We have been rejoicing, because of the days in which you humbled us, because of the years in which we saw evils16Look down upon your servants and upon their works, and direct their sons17And may the splendor of the Lord our God be upon us. And so, direct the works of our hands over us; direct even the work of our hands
Gospel: Matthew 24.42-51
42Therefore, be vigilant. For you do not know at what hour your Lord will return43But know this: if only the father of the family knew at what hour the thief would arrive, he would certainly keep vigil and not permit his house to be broken into44For this reason, you also must be prepared, for you do not know at what hour the Son of man will return45Consider this: who is a faithful and prudent servant, who has been appointed by his lord over his family, to give them their portion in due time46Blessed is that servant, if, when his lord has arrived, he shall find him doing so47Amen I say to you, he shall appoint him over all of his goods48But if that evil servant has said in his heart, ‘My lord has been delayed in returning,49and so, he begins to strike his fellow servants, and he eats and drinks with the inebriated50then the lord of that servant will arrive on a day that he does not expect, and at an hour that he does not know51And he shall separate him, and he shall place his portion with the hypocrites, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we hear St. Paul expressing his deep joy and gratitude for the faith of the Thessalonians, despite their trials and tribulations. He reminds them that their perseverance in faith brings him consolation and strengthens his own resolve to pray for them. Paul longs to see them again to complete what may be lacking in their faith, and he asks God to increase their love for one another and for all people. This passage highlights Paul’s profound care for his spiritual children and his desire for their holiness and steadfastness in the Lord.
The Gospel reading from Matthew presents Jesus teaching His disciples about the importance of being vigilant and prepared for His return. Using the parable of the servants, Jesus emphasizes the need for faithfulness and responsibility. The faithful servant who carries out his duties diligently is blessed, while the one who becomes complacent and neglects his responsibilities will face judgment. Jesus warns that He will return at an unexpected hour, and we must be ready, living in such a way that we are found doing His will when He comes.
These readings remind us that our faith is not a passive reality but an active way of life. Just as Paul prayed for the Thessalonians to grow in holiness, we too are called to strive for sanctity in our daily lives. The Gospel urges us to remain vigilant and faithful, recognizing that our time on this earth is short and that we will be held accountable for how we live. Let us ask the Lord to help us remain steadfast in our commitment to Him, to grow in love for one another, and to be prepared to meet Him whenever He comes. May we live each day with purpose and integrity, knowing that our actions have eternal consequences.