Daily Readings - Sun Jul 14 2024

¹²And Amaziah said to Amos, "You, seer, go out and flee into the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there¹³And in Bethel, do not prophesy any longer, because it is the king’s sanctuary, and it is the house of the kingdom.¹⁴And Amos responded, and he said to Amasias, "I am not a prophet, and I am not the son of a prophet, but I am a herdsman plucking from wild fig trees¹⁵And the Lord took me, when I was following the flock, and the Lord said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’

Ephesians

Chapter 1

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavens, in Christ⁴just as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, so that we would be holy and immaculate in his sight, in charity⁵He has predestined us to adoption as sons, through Jesus Christ, in himself, according to the purpose of his will⁶for the praise of the glory of his grace, with which he has gifted us in his beloved Son⁷In him, we have redemption through his blood: the remission of sins in accord with the riches of his grace⁸which is superabundant in us, with all wisdom and prudence⁹So does he make known to us the mystery of his will, which he has set forth in Christ, in a manner well-pleasing to him,¹⁰in the dispensation of the fullness of time, so as to renew in Christ everything that exists through him in heaven and on earth

Mark

Chapter 6

⁷And he called the twelve. And he began to send them out in twos, and he gave them authority over unclean spirits⁸And he instructed them not to take anything for the journey, except a staff: no traveling bag, no bread, and no money belt⁹but to wear sandals, and not to wear two tunics¹⁰And he said to them: "Whenever you have entered into a house, stay there until you depart from that place¹¹And whoever will neither receive you, nor listen to you, as you go away from there, shake off the dust from your feet as a testimony against them.¹²And going out, they were preaching, so that people would repent¹³And they cast out many demons, and they anointed many of the sick with oil and healed them

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter powerful themes of divine calling, trust in God’s providence, and the mission to share the Good News. The first reading from Amos illustrates the prophet’s unwavering obedience to God’s call despite opposition. Amos, a humble herdsman, is chosen by God to deliver a message to His people, emphasizing that our worth and mission come from God, not from our own merits. The second reading from Ephesians reminds us of our adoption as God’s children and the abundant grace we’ve received through Christ. It highlights that our lives are part of a larger divine plan to bring all things together in Him. In the Gospel, Mark shows Jesus sending out the apostles with minimal provisions, teaching them to rely on divine providence and to boldly proclaim the Kingdom of God. These readings are deeply connected, as they all point to the universal call to mission and trust in God’s plan. Amos’s obedience, the Ephesians’ adoption, and the apostles’ mission all illustrate that our lives are not our own but are part of God’s greater plan. Each reading encourages us to embrace our role in this plan with faith and courage. In our daily lives, these readings call us to trust in God’s providence and to be bold in sharing the Gospel. Whether in our families, workplaces, or communities, we are called to be missionaries, bringing Christ’s love and light to others. Let us embrace our mission with the same faith as Amos, the same gratitude as the Ephesians, and the same courage as the apostles. May we remember that our ordinary lives are our mission field, and may we live each day with the faith and trust that God is always with us.