Daily Catholic Mass Readings for March 24, 2024
First Reading: Isaiah 50.4-7
4The Lord has given me a learned tongue, so that I would know how to uphold with a word, one who has weakened. He rises in the morning, he rises to my ear in the morning, so that I may heed him like a teacher5The Lord God has opened my ear. And I do not contradict him. I have not turned back6I have given my body to those who strike me, and my cheeks to those who plucked them. I have not averted my face from those who rebuked me and who spit on me7The Lord God is my helper. Therefore, I have not been confounded. Therefore, I have set my face like a very hard rock, and I know that I will not be confounded
Psalm 22
1Unto the end. For the tasks of early morning. A Psalm of David. O God, my God, look upon me. Why have you forsaken me? Far from my salvation are the words of my offenses2My God, I will cry out by day, and you will not heed, and by night, and it will not be foolishness for me3But you dwell in holiness, O Praise of Israel4In you, our fathers have hoped. They hoped, and you freed them5They cried out to you, and they were saved. In you, they hoped and were not confounded6But I am a worm and not a man: a disgrace among men, and an outcast of the people7All those who saw me have derided me. They have spoken with the lips and shook the head8He has hoped in the Lord, let him rescue him. Let him save him because he chooses him9For you are the one who has drawn me out of the womb, my hope from the breasts of my mother10I have been thrown upon you from the womb; from the womb of my mother, you are my God11Do not depart from me. For tribulation is near, since there is no one who may help me12Many calves have surrounded me; fat bulls have besieged me13They have opened their mouths over me, just like a lion seizing and roaring14And so, I have been poured out like water, and all my bones have been scattered. My heart has become like wax, melting in the midst of my chest15My strength has dried up like clay, and my tongue has adhered to my jaws. And you have pulled me down, into the dust of death16For many dogs have surrounded me. The council of the malicious has besieged me. They have pierced my hands and feet17They have numbered all my bones. And they have examined me and stared at me18They divided my garments among them, and over my vestment, they cast lots19But you, O Lord, do not take your help far from me; be attentive to my defense20O God, rescue my soul from the spear, and my only one from the hand of the dog21Save me from the mouth of the lion, and my humility from the horns of the single-horned beast22I will declare your name to my brothers. In the midst of the Church, I will praise you23You who fear the Lord, praise him. All the offspring of Jacob, glorify him24May all the offspring of Israel fear him. For he has neither spurned nor despised the pleas of the poor. Neither has he turned his face away from me. And when I cried out to him, he heeded me25My praise is with you, within a great church. I will pay my vows in the sight of those who fear him26The poor will eat and be satisfied, and those who yearn for the Lord will praise him. Their hearts will live forever and ever27All the ends of the earth will remember, and they will be converted to the Lord. And all the families of the Gentiles will adore in his sight28For the kingdom belongs to the Lord, and he will have dominion over the Gentiles29All the fat of the earth have gnashed their teeth, and they have adored. In his sight, they will fall down, all those who descend to the ground30And my soul will live for him, and my offspring will serve him31There will be announced for the Lord a future generation, and the heavens will announce his justice to a people who will be born, whom the Lord has made
Second Reading: Philippians 2.6-11
6who, though he was in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be seized7Instead, he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and accepting the state of a man8He humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, even the death of the Cross9Because of this, God has also exalted him and has given him a name which is above every name10so that, at the name of Jesus, every knee would bend, of those in heaven, of those on earth, and of those in hell11and so that every tongue would confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father
Gospel: Mark 15.1-39
1And immediately in the morning, after the leaders of the priests had taken counsel with the elders and the scribes and the entire council, binding Jesus, they led him away and delivered him to Pilate2And Pilate questioned him, "You are the king of the Jews?" But in response, he said to him, "You are saying it.3And the leaders of the priests accused him in many things4Then Pilate again questioned him, saying: "Do you not have any response? See how greatly they accuse you.5But Jesus continued to give no response, so that Pilate wondered6Now on the feast day, he was accustomed to release to them one of the prisoners, whomever they requested7But there was one called Barabbas, who had committed murder in the sedition, who was confined with those of the sedition8And when the crowd had ascended, they began to petition him to do as he always did for them9But Pilate answered them and said, "Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?10For he knew that it was out of envy that the leaders of the priests had betrayed him11Then the chief priests incited the crowd, so that he would release Barabbas to them instead12But Pilate, responding again, said to them: "Then what do you want me to do with the king of the Jews?13But again they cried out, "Crucify him.14Yet truly, Pilate said to them: "Why? What evil has he done?" But they cried out all the more, "Crucify him.15Then Pilate, wishing to satisfy the people, released Barabbas to them, and he delivered Jesus, having severely scourged him, to be crucified16Then the soldiers led him away to the court of the praetorium. And they called together the entire cohort17And they clothed him with purple. And platting a crown of thorns, they placed it on him18And they began to salute him: "Hail, king of the Jews.19And they struck his head with a reed, and they spit on him. And kneeling down, they reverenced him20And after they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple, and they clothed him in his own garments. And they led him away, so that they might crucify him21And they compelled a certain passerby, Simon the Cyrenian, who was arriving from the countryside, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to take up his cross22And they led him through to the place called Golgotha, which means, ‘the Place of Calvary.23And they gave him wine with myrrh to drink. But he did not accept it24And while crucifying him, they divided his garments, casting lots over them, to see who would take what25Now it was the third hour. And they crucified him26And the title of his case was written as: THE KING OF THE JEWS27And with him they crucified two robbers: one at his right, and the other at his left28And the scripture was fulfilled, which says: "And with the iniquitous he was reputed.29And the passersby blasphemed him, shaking their heads and saying, "Ah, you who would destroy the temple of God, and in three days rebuild it30save yourself by descending from the cross.31And similarly the leaders of the priests, mocking him with the scribes, said to one another: "He saved others. He is not able to save himself32Let the Christ, the king of Israel, descend now from the cross, so that we may see and believe." Those who were crucified with him also insulted him33And when the sixth hour arrived, a darkness occurred over the entire earth, until the ninth hour34And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabacthani?" which means, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?35And some of those standing near, upon hearing this, said, "Behold, he is calling Elijah.36Then one of them, running and filling a sponge with vinegar, and placing it around a reed, gave it to him to drink, saying: "Wait. Let us see if Elijah will come to take him down.37Then Jesus, having emitted a loud cry, expired38And the veil of the temple was torn in two, from the top to the bottom39Then the centurion who stood opposite him, seeing that he had expired while crying out in this way, said: "Truly, this man was the Son of God.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound reflections on faith, humility, and the ultimate sacrifice. The first reading from Isaiah introduces a figure who, despite suffering, remains steadfast in trust and obedience to God. This figure, often seen as a prefiguration of Christ, exemplifies perseverance and faith amidst adversity. The second reading from Philippians elaborates on the humility of Jesus, who emptied Himself to take on human form and obediently accepted death on the cross, leading to His exaltation by God. The Gospel from Mark vividly portrays Jesus' Passion, highlighting His silent endurance and the reactions of those around Him.
These readings are interconnected through the theme of humility and suffering. Isaiah’s prophecy foreshadows Jesus' role as the Suffering Servant, while Philippians explains the purpose and glory resulting from His humility. Mark’s narrative provides the historical fulfillment, showing Jesus living out this humility in His Passion. Together, they illustrate that true strength lies in humility and trust in God’s plan.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to embrace humility and perseverance. Just as Jesus trusted in God’s plan, we are called to do the same, even in challenging times. The moral lesson is clear: humility and trust in God lead to spiritual growth and alignment with His will. Let us strive to embody these virtues, finding strength in our faith and trust in God.