Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 6, 2025

First Reading: Hebrews 12.18-19, 21-24

¹⁸But you have not drawn near to a tangible mountain, or a burning fire, or a whirlwind, or a mist, or a storm¹⁹or the sound of a trumpet, or a voice of words. Those who had experienced these things excused themselves, lest the Word be spoken to them²¹And what was seen was so terrible that even Moses said: "I am terrified, and so, I tremble.²²But you have drawn near to mount Zion, and to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem, and to the company of many thousands of Angels²³and to the Church of the first-born, those who have been inscribed in the heavens, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the just made perfect²⁴and to Jesus, the Mediator of the New Testament, and to a sprinkling of blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel

Psalm 48

Psalms

Chapter 48

¹A Canticle Psalm. To the sons of Korah, on the second Sabbath. The Lord is great and exceedingly praiseworthy, in the city of our God, on his holy mountain²Mount Zion is being founded with the exultation of the whole earth, on the north side, the city of the great king³In her houses, God will be known, since he will support her⁴For behold, the kings of the earth have been gathered together; they have convened as one⁵Such did they see, and they were astonished: they were disturbed, they were moved⁶Trembling took hold of them. In that place, their pains were that of a woman in labor⁷With a vehement spirit, you will crush the ships of Tarshish⁸As we have heard, so we have seen, in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God. God has founded it in eternity⁹We have received your mercy, O God, in the midst of your temple¹⁰According to your name, O God, so does your praise reach to the ends of the earth. Your right hand is full of justice¹¹Let mount Zion rejoice, and let the daughters of Judah exult, because of your judgments, O Lord¹²Encircle Zion and embrace her. Discourse in her towers¹³Set your hearts on her virtue. And distribute her houses, so that you may discourse of it in another generation¹⁴For this is God, our God, in eternity and forever and ever. He will rule us forever

Gospel: Mark 6.7-13

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 journey through two profound biblical passages that invite us to reflect on faith, trust, and our spiritual journey. The first reading from Hebrews contrasts the awe-inspiring, even terrifying, experience of Moses and the Israelites at Mount Sinai with the serene and grace-filled reality of the heavenly Jerusalem. This passage highlights the transition from the fear of the Old Covenant to the hope and joy of the New Covenant, reminding us that our true home is in heaven, where we are part of a vast community of believers, united in Christ. The Gospel reading from Mark shows Jesus sending out the twelve apostles with authority to preach, heal, and cast out demons. Jesus instructs them to travel lightly, trusting in God's providence rather than relying on material comforts. This passage underscores the importance of simplicity, detachment, and trust in God's plan. The apostles' mission is not just about what they do, but about how they embody their faith, trusting that God will provide what they need. These readings invite us to reflect on our own faith journey. Like the apostles, we are called to trust in God's providence, even when the path ahead seems uncertain. We are reminded that our ultimate home is not in this world but in the heavenly Jerusalem, where we will be united with all the saints. Let us embrace our mission with courage and simplicity, trusting that God will guide us and provide for us. May we, like the apostles, go forth with faith, spreading the Good News and living as witnesses to God's love in our daily lives.