Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 18, 2024
First Reading: Proverbs 9.1-6
1Wisdom has built a house for herself. She has hewn seven columns2She has immolated her victims. She has mixed her wine and set forth her table3She has sent her maids to call out to the tower and to the fortified walls of the city4"If anyone is little, let him come to me." And to the unwise, she has said5"Approach. Eat my bread, and drink the wine that I have mixed for you6Leave behind childishness. And live and walk by the ways of prudence.
Psalm 34
1To David, when he changed his appearance in the sight of Abimelech, and so he dismissed him, and he went away. I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise will be ever in my mouth2In the Lord, my soul will be praised. May the meek listen and rejoice3Magnify the Lord with me, and let us extol his name in itself4I sought the Lord, and he heeded me, and he carried me away from all my tribulations5Approach him and be enlightened, and your faces will not be confounded6This poor one cried out, and the Lord heeded him, and he saved him from all his tribulations7The Angel of the Lord will encamp around those who fear him, and he will rescue them8Taste and see that the Lord is sweet. Blessed is the man who hopes in him9Fear the Lord, all you his saints. For there is no destitution for those who fear him10The rich have been needy and hungry, but those who seek the Lord will not be deprived of any good thing11Come forward, sons. Listen to me. I will teach you the fear of the Lord12Which is the man who wills life, who chooses to see good days13Prohibit your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit14Turn away from evil, and do good. Inquire about peace, and pursue it15The eyes of the Lord are on the just, and his ears are with their prayers16But the countenance of the Lord is upon those who do evil, to perish the remembrance of them from the earth17The just cried out, and the Lord heard them, and he freed them from all their tribulations18The Lord is near to those who are troubled in heart, and he will save the humble in spirit19Many are the afflictions of the just, but from them all the Lord will free them20The Lord preserves all of their bones, not one of them shall be broken21The death of a sinner is very harmful, and those who hate the just will fare badly22The Lord will redeem the souls of his servants, and none of those who hope in him will fare badly
Second Reading: Ephesians 5.15-20
15And so, brothers, see to it that you walk cautiously, not like the foolish16but like the wise: atoning for this age, because this is an evil time17For this reason, do not choose to be imprudent. Instead, understand what is the will of God18And do not choose to be inebriated by wine, for this is self-indulgence. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit19speaking among yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual canticles, singing and reciting psalms to the Lord in your hearts20giving thanks always for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to God the Father
Gospel: John 6.51-58
51I am the living bread, who descended from heaven. If anyone eats from this bread, he shall live in eternity. And the bread that I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.52Therefore, the Jews debated among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?53And so, Jesus said to them: "Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day55For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him57Just as the living Father has sent me and I live because of the Father, so also whoever eats me, the same shall live because of me58This is the bread that descends from heaven. It is not like the manna that your fathers ate, for they died. Whoever eats this bread shall live forever.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the invitation of Wisdom and the gift of eternal life offered by Christ. In the first reading from Proverbs, Wisdom prepares a banquet, calling out to those who are simple or unwise to come and partake of her bread and wine. This passage is a metaphor for the pursuit of wisdom and the transformation it brings to our lives. Wisdom is not just knowledge but a way of living, a path that requires us to leave behind childishness and walk in prudence. The second reading from Ephesians echoes this call to live wisely, urging us to understand God’s will and to be filled with the Holy Spirit. It reminds us that our lives should be marked by gratitude and joy, even in the midst of challenges.
The Gospel reading from John takes this invitation to a deeper level. Jesus identifies himself as the living bread come down from heaven, offering his flesh and blood for the life of the world. This passage is at the heart of our Catholic faith, pointing to the Eucharist as the source and summit of our spiritual lives. Just as Wisdom invites us to her table, Christ invites us to partake of his body and blood, promising us eternal life and union with him. The Jews in the Gospel struggled to understand this teaching, just as we may sometimes find it difficult to grasp the mystery of the Eucharist. Yet, Jesus is clear: to have life in us, we must receive him fully and completely.
These readings call us to examine how we respond to God’s invitation in our daily lives. Are we seeking wisdom and living in a way that reflects our faith? Do we approach the Eucharist with reverence and gratitude, recognizing the gift of Christ’s very self? Let us ask for the grace to live wisely, to be filled with the Holy Spirit, and to deepen our union with Christ through the sacraments. May we embrace the transformative power of God’s love, leaving behind what is childish and walking in the ways of prudence, so that we may truly live and abide in him.