Daily Catholic Mass Readings for September 12, 2017
First Reading: Colossians 2.6-15
6Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,7rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.8See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.9For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily,10and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.11In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,12having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead.13And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,14by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.15He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.
Psalm 145
1I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.2Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever.3Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.4One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.5On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.6They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness.7They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.8The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.9The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.10All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD, and all your saints shall bless you!11They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power,12to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations.[The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.]14The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.15The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.16You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.17The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.18The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.19He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.20The LORD preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.21My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
Gospel: Luke 6.12-19
12In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.13And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles:14Simon, whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James and John, and Philip, and Bartholomew,15and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon who was called the Zealot,16and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.17And he came down with them and stood on a level place, with a great crowd of his disciples and a great multitude of people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon,18who came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. And those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.19And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and healed them all.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound connection between our faith in Christ and our mission to live as His disciples in the world. In the first reading from Colossians, St. Paul reminds us that our lives must be deeply rooted in Christ. He warns us against being swayed by empty philosophies and human traditions that can lead us away from the truth of the Gospel. Instead, we are called to live in gratitude and humility, recognizing that in Christ, we have been fully reconciled to God. Through Baptism, we have been buried and raised with Him, and our sins have been forgiven. This is the foundation of our Christian identity.
In the Gospel, Luke describes Jesus choosing the Twelve Apostles after a night of prayer. This moment marks the beginning of their formal mission to spread the Good News. Jesus then descends to a level place, where a great crowd gathers to listen to Him and be healed. The power of God flows through Him, touching all who are in need. This scene reminds us that our faith is not just about personal spirituality but also about being part of a community that seeks healing and transformation. Just as the Apostles were called to follow Jesus and share His message, we too are called to live out our faith in the world.
These readings challenge us to examine how we are living our faith. Are we rooted in Christ, or are we allowing the influences of the world to pull us away from Him? Are we using our unique gifts and talents to serve others and share the love of God? Let us remember that our faith is not just about what we believe but also about how we live. Like the Apostles, we are called to be instruments of God’s healing and hope in a world that so desperately needs it. May we, like the crowd in the Gospel, reach out to touch Jesus, and may His power flow through us to bring light and love to all those around us.