Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 25, 2024
First Reading: Joshua 24.1-2a, 15-17, 18b
1And Joshua gathered together all the tribes of Israel at Shechem, and he called those greater by birth, and the leaders and judges and teachers. And they stood in the sight of the Lord2And he spoke to the people in this way: "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Your fathers lived, in the beginning, across the river: Terah, the father of Abraham, and Nahor. And they served strange gods15But if it seems evil to you that you would serve the Lord, a choice is given to you. Choose today what pleases you, and whom you ought to serve above all else, either the gods that your fathers served in Mesopotamia, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.16And the people responded, and they said: "Far be it from us that we would forsake the Lord, and serve foreign gods17The Lord our God himself led us and our fathers away from the land of Egypt, from the house of servitude. And he accomplished immense signs in our sight, and he preserved us along the entire way by which we journeyed, and among all the people through whom we passed18And he cast out all the nations, the Amorite, the inhabitant of the land that we entered. And so, we will serve the Lord, for he is our God.
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 4.32 – 5.1-2, 21-32
32And be kind and merciful to one another, forgiving one another, just as God has forgiven you in Christ
1Therefore, as most beloved sons, be imitators of God21Be subject to one another in the fear of Christ22Wives should be submissive to their husbands, as to the Lord23For the husband is the head of the wife, just as Christ is the head of the Church. He is the Savior of his body24Therefore, just as the Church is subject to Christ, so also should wives be subject to their husbands in all things25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the Church and handed himself over for her26so that he might sanctify her, washing her clean by water and the Word of life27so that he might offer her to himself as a glorious Church, not having any spot or wrinkle or any such thing, so that she would be holy and immaculate28So, too, husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself29For no man has ever hated his own flesh, but instead he nourishes and cherishes it, as Christ also does to the Church30For we are a part of his body, of his flesh and of his bones31"For this reason, a man shall leave behind his father and mother, and he shall cling to his wife; and the two shall be as one flesh.32This is a great Sacrament. And I am speaking in Christ and in the Church
Gospel: John 6.53, 60-69
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 you60Therefore, many of his disciples, upon hearing this, said: "This saying is difficult," and, "Who is able to listen to it?61But Jesus, knowing within himself that his disciples were murmuring about this, said to them: "Does this offend you62Then what if you were to see the Son of man ascending to where he was before63It is the Spirit who gives life. The flesh does not offer anything of benefit. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life64But there are some among you who do not believe." For Jesus knew from the beginning who were unbelieving and which one would betray him65And so he said, "For this reason, I said to you that no one is able to come to me, unless it has been given to him by my Father.66After this, many of his disciples went back, and they no longer walked with him67Therefore, Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?68Then Simon Peter answered him: "Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words of eternal life69And we have believed, and we recognize that you are the Christ, the Son of God.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of commitment, love, and the transformative power of faith. In the first reading from Joshua, we hear the prophet calling the people of Israel to make a choice: to serve the Lord or to turn back to the idols of their ancestors. Joshua reminds them of God’s faithfulness, recounting how He led them out of slavery in Egypt and into the Promised Land. The people, moved by this reminder, affirm their commitment to serve the Lord, declaring that they will follow Him and no other. This passage emphasizes the importance of remembering God’s actions in our lives and allowing that memory to shape our decisions.
The second reading from Ephesians shifts our focus to the relationships within the Christian community, particularly within marriage. Paul calls husbands and wives to live out their commitment to one another in a way that reflects the love of Christ for the Church. He emphasizes mutual submission, respect, and self-giving love, drawing a deep connection between the sacrament of marriage and the union of Christ with His bride, the Church. This reading reminds us that our relationships are not just about personal happiness but about living out the Gospel in concrete ways.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of the Eucharist as the source of eternal life, saying, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.” Many of His disciples find this teaching too difficult to accept, and they abandon Him. Yet, Peter and the other apostles remain, confessing their faith in Jesus as the Son of God. This passage invites us to reflect on the mystery of the Eucharist and the commitment it requires. Just as Joshua called the people to choose the Lord, and just as Paul called husbands and wives to live out their commitment in love, Jesus calls us to embrace the gift of His Body and Blood as the source of our spiritual life.
These readings remind us that faith is not a passive belief but an active commitment to God and to one another. Like Joshua’s people, we are called to remember God’s faithfulness and to make choices that align with our commitment to Him. Like the Ephesians, we are called to live out our relationships in love and mutual respect. And like Peter, we are called to stay with Jesus, even when the journey is difficult, trusting that He has the words of eternal life. Let us ask for the grace to live out our faith with courage, love, and fidelity, knowing that it is in Him that we find true life.