Daily Catholic Mass Readings for June 3, 2024
First Reading: 2 Peter 1.1-7
1Simon Peter, servant and Apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who have been allotted an equal faith with us in the justice of our God and in our Savior Jesus Christ2Grace to you. And may peace be fulfilled according to the plan of God and of Christ Jesus our Lord3in the same manner that all things which are for life and piety have been given to us by his Divine virtue, through the plan of him who has called us to our own glory and virtue4Through Christ, he has given us the greatest and most precious promises, so that by these things you may become sharers in the Divine Nature, fleeing from the corruption of that desire which is in the world5But as for you, taking up every concern, minister virtue in your faith; and in virtue, knowledge6and in knowledge, moderation; and in moderation, patience; and in patience, piety7and in piety, love of brotherhood; and in love of brotherhood, charity
Psalm 91
1The Praise of a Canticle, of David. Whoever dwells with the assistance of the Most High will abide in the protection of the God of heaven2He will say to the Lord, "You are my supporter and my refuge." My God, I will hope in him3For he has freed me from the snare of those who go hunting, and from the harsh word4He will overshadow you with his shoulders, and you will hope under his wings5His truth will surround you with a shield. You will not be afraid: before the terror of the night6before the arrow flying in the day, before the troubles that wander in the darkness, nor of invasion and the midday demon7A thousand will fall before your side and ten thousand before your right hand. Yet it will not draw near you8So then, truly, you will consider with your eyes, and you will see the retribution of sinners9For you, O Lord, are my hope. You have set the Most High as your refuge10Disaster will not draw near to you, and the scourge will not approach your tabernacle11For he has given his Angels charge over you, so as to preserve you in all your ways12With their hands, they will carry you, lest you hurt your foot against a stone13You will walk over the asp and the king serpent, and you will trample the lion and the dragon14Because he has hoped in me, I will free him. I will protect him because he has known my name15He will cry out to me, and I will heed him. I am with him in tribulation. I will rescue him, and I will glorify him16I will fill him with length of days. And I will reveal to him my salvation
Gospel: Mark 12.1-12
1And he began to speak to them in parables: "A man dug a vineyard, and surrounded it with a hedge, and dug a pit, and built a tower, and he loaned it out to farmers, and he set out on a long journey2And in time, he sent a servant to the farmers, in order to receive some of the fruit of the vineyard from the farmers3But they, having apprehended him, beat him and sent him away empty4And again, he sent another servant to them. And they wounded him on the head, and they treated him with contempt5And again, he sent another, and him they killed, and many others: some they beat, but others they killed6Therefore, having still one son, most dear to him, he sent him also to them, at the very end, saying, ‘For they will reverence my son.7But the settlers said one to another: ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him. And then the inheritance will be ours.8And apprehending him, they killed him. And they cast him out of the vineyard9Therefore, what will the lord of the vineyard do?" "He will come and destroy the settlers. And he will give the vineyard to others.10"And so, have you not read this scripture?: ‘The stone which the builders have rejected, the same has been made the head of the corner11By the Lord has this been done, and it is wondrous in our eyes.’ 12And they sought to take hold of him, but they feared the crowd. For they knew that he had spoken this parable about them. And leaving him behind, they went away
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on our relationship with God and our response to His gifts. The second letter of Peter encourages us to grow in faith and virtue, listing qualities such as knowledge, moderation, patience, piety, and love. This growth is not passive but requires our active participation, building on the faith we have received. In the Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the vineyard, where the owner’s patience with the tenants is met with rejection and violence, ultimately leading to the loss of the vineyard. This parable reflects God’s patience with humanity and the consequences of rejecting His messengers.
These readings connect by highlighting the call to be good stewards of what God has entrusted to us. Peter’s list of virtues is a roadmap for living out our faith, while the parable serves as a reminder of the gravity of rejecting God’s gifts. Just as the tenants failed to recognize the owner’s generosity, we risk losing the spiritual inheritance if we do not nurture it through virtue and love.
In our daily lives, let us examine how we respond to God’s gifts. Are we growing in faith and virtue, or are we complacent? Let us not reject the messengers of God’s love but instead embrace the call to holiness. May we use our gifts to bear fruit, cooperating with God’s grace to become the people He calls us to be.