Daily Catholic Mass Readings for September 7, 2018
First Reading: 1 Corinthians 4.1-5
1This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.2Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found trustworthy.3But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself.4I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me.5Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
Psalm 37
1Fret not yourself because of evildoers; be not envious of wrongdoers!2For they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.3Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.4Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.5Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.6He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.7Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!8Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.9For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.10In just a little while, the wicked will be no more; though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.11But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace.12The wicked plots against the righteous and gnashes his teeth at him,13but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that his day is coming.14The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to slay those whose way is upright;15their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.16Better is the little that the righteous has than the abundance of many wicked.17For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the LORD upholds the righteous.18The LORD knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will remain forever;19they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance.20But the wicked will perish; the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish--like smoke they vanish away.21The wicked borrows but does not pay back, but the righteous is generous and gives;22for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.23The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way;24though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand.25I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.26He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing.27Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever.28For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.29The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.30The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks justice.31The law of his God is in his heart; his steps do not slip.32The wicked watches for the righteous and seeks to put him to death.33The LORD will not abandon him to his power or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.34Wait for the LORD and keep his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on when the wicked are cut off.35I have seen a wicked, ruthless man, spreading himself like a green laurel tree.36But he passed away, and behold, he was no more; though I sought him, he could not be found.37Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is a future for the man of peace.38But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the future of the wicked shall be cut off.39The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.40The LORD helps them and delivers them; he delivers them from the wicked and saves them, because they take refuge in him.
Gospel: Luke 5.33-39
33And they said to him, "The disciples of John fast often and offer prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours eat and drink."34And Jesus said to them, "Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them?35The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in those days."36He also told them a parable: "No one tears a piece from a new garment and puts it on an old garment. If he does, he will tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old.37And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed.38But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins.39And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, 'The old is good.'"
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the call to faithfulness and the need to embrace the newness of life in Christ. The first reading from 1 Corinthians encourages us to see ourselves as ministers of Christ and stewards of God’s mysteries. Paul emphasizes that our ultimate judgment comes not from others or even from ourselves, but from the Lord. This calls us to humility and trust in God’s plan, recognizing that true wisdom and justification come from Him alone.
The Gospel from Luke presents Jesus addressing the question of fasting. While John’s disciples and the Pharisees fast, Jesus explains that His disciples cannot fast while the groom is with them. He uses the parables of the patch, the wineskins, and the old and new wine to illustrate that His teachings cannot be confined to the old ways of thinking. Just as new wine requires new wineskins, the Good News of the Kingdom requires open hearts and minds willing to embrace change.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own lives. Are we holding onto old habits or ways of thinking that prevent us from fully embracing the new life Christ offers? Let us ask for the grace to be faithful stewards of God’s mysteries and to trust in His judgment. May we also have the courage to let go of the old and receive the newness of life that Jesus brings, allowing His teachings to transform us and guide us in our daily lives.