Daily Catholic Mass Readings for May 30, 2017

First Reading: Acts 20.17-27

¹⁷Now from Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the elders of the church to come to him.¹⁸And when they came to him, he said to them:"You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia,¹⁹serving the Lord with all humility and with tears and with trials that happened to me through the plots of the Jews;²⁰how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you in public and from house to house,²¹testifying both to Jews and to Greeks of repentance toward God and of faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.²²And now, behold, I am going to Jerusalem, constrained by the Spirit, not knowing what will happen to me there,²³except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city that imprisonment and afflictions await me.²⁴But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.²⁵And now, behold, I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again.²⁶Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you,²⁷for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

Psalm 68

Psalms

Chapter 68

¹God shall arise, his enemies shall be scattered; and those who hate him shall flee before him!²As smoke is driven away, so you shall drive them away; as wax melts before fire, so the wicked shall perish before God!³But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!⁴Sing to God, sing praises to his name; lift up a song to him who rides through the deserts; his name is the LORD; exult before him!⁵Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation.⁶God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.⁷O God, when you went out before your people, when you marched through the wilderness, Selah⁸the earth quaked, the heavens poured down rain, before God, the One of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.⁹Rain in abundance, O God, you shed abroad; you restored your inheritance as it languished;¹⁰your flock found a dwelling in it; in your goodness, O God, you provided for the needy.¹¹The Lord gives the word; the women who announce the news are a great host:¹²"The kings of the armies--they flee, they flee!" The women at home divide the spoil--¹³though you men lie among the sheepfolds--the wings of a dove covered with silver, its pinions with shimmering gold.¹⁴When the Almighty scatters kings there, let snow fall on Zalmon.¹⁵O mountain of God, mountain of Bashan; O many-peaked mountain, mountain of Bashan!¹⁶Why do you look with hatred, O many-peaked mountain, at the mount that God desired for his abode, yes, where the LORD will dwell forever?¹⁷The chariots of God are twice ten thousand, thousands upon thousands; the Lord is among them; Sinai is now in the sanctuary.¹⁸You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the LORD God may dwell there.¹⁹Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears us up; God is our salvation. Selah²⁰Our God is a God of salvation, and to GOD, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.²¹But God will strike the heads of his enemies, the hairy crown of him who walks in his guilty ways.²²The Lord said, "I will bring them back from Bashan, I will bring them back from the depths of the sea,²³that you may strike your feet in their blood, that the tongues of your dogs may have their portion from the foe."²⁴Your procession is seen, O God, the procession of my God, my King, into the sanctuary--²⁵the singers in front, the musicians last, between them virgins playing tambourines:²⁶"Bless God in the great congregation, the LORD, O you who are of Israel's fountain!"²⁷There is Benjamin, the least of them, in the lead, the princes of Judah in their throng, the princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali.²⁸Summon your power, O God, the power, O God, by which you have worked for us.²⁹Because of your temple at Jerusalem kings shall bear gifts to you.³⁰Rebuke the beasts that dwell among the reeds, the herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples. Trample underfoot those who lust after tribute; scatter the peoples who delight in war.³¹Nobles shall come from Egypt; Cush shall hasten to stretch out her hands to God.³²O kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; sing praises to the Lord, Selah³³to him who rides in the heavens, the ancient heavens; behold, he sends out his voice, his mighty voice.³⁴Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies.³⁵Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel--he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God!

Sermon

In today's reading from Acts 20:17-27, Paul bids farewell to the Ephesian elders, reflecting on his ministry with humility and resolve. He recounts his time with them, highlighting his unwavering commitment to preach the Gospel despite facing trials and tribulations. Paul expresses his determination to continue his mission to Jerusalem, acknowledging the hardships ahead yet trusting in God's plan. The context of this passage is Paul's journey to Jerusalem, where he anticipates facing imprisonment and persecution. He emphasizes his role as a servant of the Lord, dedicated to spreading the message of repentance and faith. Paul's farewell is not just a personal reflection but a call to the elders to remain faithful and committed to their own ministries. In our daily lives, we can draw inspiration from Paul's example. His humility and perseverance remind us to stay grounded in our faith, even when faced with challenges. We are called to embrace our own missions with dedication, trusting in God's guidance. The moral lesson here is the importance of perseverance and humility, trusting that our efforts, though difficult, are part of a greater divine plan. Let us strive to emulate Paul's spirit, committing ourselves to our faith and trusting in God's will.