Daily Catholic Mass Readings for September 3, 2020
First Reading: 1 Corinthians 3.18-23
18Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise.19For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness,"20and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile."21So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours,22whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future--all are yours,23and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's.
Psalm 24
1The earth is the LORD's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,2for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.3Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?4He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.5He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation.6Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah7Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.8Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle!9Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.10Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah
Gospel: Luke 5.1-11
1On one occasion, while the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he was standing by the lake of Gennesaret,2and he saw two boats by the lake, but the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets.3Getting into one of the boats, which was Simon's, he asked him to put out a little from the land. And he sat down and taught the people from the boat.4And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch."5And Simon answered, "Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets."6And when they had done this, they enclosed a large number of fish, and their nets were breaking.7They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.8But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord."9For he and all who were with him were astonished at the catch of fish that they had taken,10and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men."11And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter profound lessons on wisdom and faith. The First Reading from 1 Corinthians reminds us that true wisdom is not of this world. Paul warns against being deceived by earthly wisdom, which is foolishness to God. He encourages humility, emphasizing that all things belong to us through Christ, but we belong to Him. This teaches us to seek wisdom that comes from God, not from human pride or understanding.
The Gospel from Luke presents a pivotal moment in Jesus’ ministry. After teaching from Simon’s boat, Jesus guides the fishermen to a miraculous catch, despite their earlier failure. This miracle reveals Jesus’ divine authority and leads Simon to acknowledge his sinfulness. Jesus then calls him to follow, illustrating how trust in God’s plan can lead to abundant blessings and a deeper commitment to His will.
These readings relate by highlighting the importance of trusting God’s wisdom over the world’s. Just as the Corinthians are reminded not to boast in human leaders, the disciples learn to trust Jesus’ guidance. In our lives, we often face choices between worldly wisdom and God’s plan. Like Simon, we may doubt, but obeying God can lead to unexpected blessings. The moral lesson is clear: humility and trust in God’s wisdom are essential. Let us follow Jesus, letting go of our own understanding and embracing His will, even when it seems uncertain.