Daily Catholic Mass Readings for May 22, 2024
First Reading: James 4.13-17
13But who are you to judge your neighbor? Consider this, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into that city, and certainly we will spend a year there, and we will do business, and we will make our profit,14consider that you do not know what will be tomorrow15For what is your life? It is a mist that appears for a brief time, and afterwards will vanish away. So what you ought to say is: "If the Lord wills," or, "If we live," we will do this or that16But now you exult in your arrogance. All such exultation is wicked17Therefore, he who knows that he ought to do a good thing, and does not do it, for him it is a sin
Psalm 49
1Unto the end. A Psalm to the sons of Korah. Hear these things, all nations. Pay attention, all inhabitants of the world2whoever is earth-born, you sons of men, together as one, the rich and the poor3My mouth will speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will speak prudence4I will incline my ear to a parable. I will open my case with the psaltery5Why should I fear in the evil day? The iniquity at my heel will surround me6Those who trust in their own strength and who glory in the multitude of their riches7no brother redeems, nor will man buy back. He will not give to God his appeasement8nor the price for the redemption of his soul. And he will labor continuously9and he will still live, until the end10He will not see death, when he sees the wise dying: the foolish and the senseless will perish together. And they will leave their riches to strangers11And their sepulchers will be their houses forever, their tabernacles from generation to generation. They have called their names in their own lands12And man, when he was held in honor, did not understand. He has been compared to the senseless beasts, and he has become like them13This way of theirs is a scandal to them. And afterwards, they will delight in their mouth14They have been placed in Hell like sheep. Death will feed on them. And the just will have dominion over them in the morning. And their help will grow old in Hell for their glory15Even so, truly God will redeem my soul from the hand of Hell, when he will receive me16Do not be afraid, when a man will have been made rich, and when the glory of his house will have been multiplied17For when he dies, he will take nothing away, and his glory will not descend with him18For his soul will be blessed in his lifetime, and he will admit to you when you do good to him19He will even enter with the progeny of his fathers, but, even in eternity, he will not see the light20Man, when he was in honor, did not understand. He has been compared to the senseless beasts, and he has become like them
Gospel: Mark 9.38-40
38John responded to him by saying, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name; he does not follow us, and so we prohibited him.39But Jesus said: "Do not prohibit him. For there is no one who can act with virtue in my name and soon speak evil about me40For whoever is not against you is for you
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the importance of humility, trust in God’s providence, and the need to avoid judgment and division. In the first reading from James, we are reminded that our lives are fleeting—like a mist that appears and then vanishes. James warns against arrogance and presumption, urging us to recognize that all our plans and achievements are contingent on God’s will. He calls us to live with humility, acknowledging that true wisdom comes from submitting our desires and ambitions to the Lord. The reading also emphasizes the sin of omission—failing to do good when we have the opportunity. This is a call to action, encouraging us to live intentionally and generously, mindful of the shortness of life and the importance of aligning our actions with God’s will.
In the Gospel, Mark presents a scene where the disciples try to stop someone from casting out demons in Jesus’ name because he is not part of their group. Jesus responds by telling them not to prohibit the man, for “whoever is not against us is for us.” This teaching challenges us to move beyond our tendency to judge others based on whether they belong to our group or follow our way of doing things. Jesus is pointing out that God’s work is not limited to those who are part of our circle. It is a call to openness, inclusivity, and trust in God’s ability to work through anyone, even those we might not expect or understand.
Together, these readings remind us that our lives are not our own, and our understanding is limited. We are called to live with humility, recognizing that all we have and all we do is a gift from God. We are also invited to let go of our need to control or judge others, trusting that God can work through anyone who seeks to do good. As we go about our daily lives, let us ask for the grace to live with humility, to trust in God’s providence, and to see the good that others do, even when it doesn’t fit our expectations. May we be open to God’s surprises and generous in our support of those who seek to serve Him, even if their path is different from our own.