Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 26, 2024

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those who love you and keep your commandments⁵We have sinned, we have committed iniquity, we acted impiously and have withdrawn, and we have turned aside from your commandments as well as your judgments⁶We have not obeyed your servants, the prophets, who have spoken in your name to our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kings, our leaders, and our fathers, who have sinned⁹But to you, the Lord our God, is mercy and atonement, for we have withdrawn from you¹⁰and we have not listened to the voice of the Lord, our God, so as to walk in his law, which he established for us by his servants, the prophets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

Psalms

Chapter 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

Luke

Chapter 6

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 powerful messages about mercy, repentance, and the call to live as children of a merciful God. The first reading from Daniel is a heartfelt prayer of confession and repentance. Daniel humbly acknowledges the sins of his people, recognizing that their suffering in exile is a result of their disobedience. Yet, amidst this acknowledgment of guilt, Daniel appeals to God’s mercy and faithfulness, trusting in His covenant love. This prayer reminds us that true repentance involves both acknowledging our failures and trusting in God’s steadfast love. The Gospel from Luke complements this theme as Jesus teaches us about the importance of living out God’s mercy in our relationships with others. He calls us to avoid judgment and condemnation, instead embracing forgiveness and generosity. Jesus emphasizes that the measure we use to treat others will be the measure used to treat us. This teaching challenges us to reflect on how we interact with those around us—do we show mercy and kindness, or do we judge and withhold forgiveness? Jesus’ words remind us that living as disciples means mirroring the mercy and compassion of our heavenly Father. These readings invite us to examine our lives and relationships. Like Daniel, we must humbly acknowledge our own sins and shortcomings, trusting in God’s mercy. At the same time, like Jesus teaches, we are called to extend that same mercy to others. In a world often marked by division and judgment, we are reminded that mercy and forgiveness are transformative forces. Let us strive to live as people of mercy, both in our relationship with God and in our interactions with others. By doing so, we not only experience God’s grace but also become instruments of His grace in the lives of those around us.