Daily Catholic Mass Readings for September 8, 2024
First Reading: Isaiah 35.4-7
4Say to the fainthearted: "Take courage and fear not! Behold, your God will bring the vindication of retribution. God himself will arrive to save you.5Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be cleared6Then the disabled will leap like a buck, and the tongue of the mute will be untied. For the waters have burst forth in the desert, and torrents in solitary places7And the land that was dry will have a pond, and the thirsty land will have fountains of water. In the hollows where the serpents lived before, there will rise up the greenery of reed and bulrush
Psalm 146
1Alleluia. Of Haggai and Zachariah2Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord with my life. I will sing psalms to my God as long as I shall be. Do not trust in the leaders3in the sons of men, in whom there is no salvation4His spirit will depart, and he will return to his earth. In that day, all their thoughts will perish5Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob: his hope is in the Lord God himself6who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all the things that are in them7He preserves the truth forever. He executes judgment for those who suffer injury. He provides food for the hungry. The Lord releases those who are bound8The Lord enlightens the blind. The Lord sets upright those who have been thrown down. The Lord loves the just9The Lord watches over new arrivals. He will support the orphan and the widow. And he will destroy the ways of sinners10The Lord shall reign forever: your God, O Zion, from generation to generation
Second Reading: James 2.1-5
1My brothers, within the glorious faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, do not choose to show favoritism toward persons2For if a man has entered your assembly having a gold ring and splendid apparel, and if a poor man has also entered, in dirty clothing3and if you are then attentive to the one who is clothed in excellent apparel, so that you say to him, "You may sit in this good place," but you say to the poor man, "You stand over there," or, "Sit below my footstool,4are you not judging within yourselves, and have you not become judges with unjust thoughts5My most beloved brothers, listen. Has not God chosen the poor in this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that God has promised to those who love him
Gospel: Mark 7.31-37
31And again, departing from the borders of Tyre, he went by way of Sidon to the sea of Galilee, through the midst of the area of the Ten Cities32And they brought someone who was deaf and mute to him. And they begged him, so that he would lay his hand upon him33And taking him away from the crowd, he put his fingers into his ears; and spitting, he touched his tongue34And gazing up to heaven, he groaned and said to him: "Ephphatha," which is, "Be opened.35And immediately his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was released, and he spoke correctly36And he instructed them not to tell anyone. But as much as he instructed them, so much more did they preach about it37And so much more did they wonder, saying: "He has done all things well. He has caused both the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful themes of hope, healing, and the call to live with integrity. The first reading from Isaiah paints a vivid picture of a world transformed by God’s presence. The prophet describes a desert blooming with life, the blind seeing, and the mute speaking—a vision of a world where God’s power overcomes all limitations. This passage reminds us that God is always near, ready to bring light and life to those who feel lost or marginalized.
The Gospel offers a living example of this transformation through the story of Jesus healing the deaf and mute man. By taking the man aside and touching his ears and tongue, Jesus shows us a God who is intimate and personal, who meets us in our specific struggles. The man’s healing is not just physical but also spiritual—a testament to the power of faith and trust in God. This miracle, like Isaiah’s vision, invites us to believe that no matter our challenges, God can open our ears to hear His voice and loosen our tongues to proclaim His love.
James, in the second reading, challenges us to live out this faith in our daily lives. He warns against favoritism, urging us to see everyone as equal in God’s eyes. Just as Jesus reached out to the marginalized, we are called to treat others with the same compassion and fairness. Today’s readings remind us that our faith is not just about waiting for God to act but also about acting justly and lovingly in the world. May we, like the man healed by Jesus, be opened to God’s grace and empowered to live as instruments of His healing and justice.