Daily Catholic Mass Readings for June 9, 2021
First Reading: 2 Corinthians 3.4-11
4Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God.5Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God,6who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.7Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end,8will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?9For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory.10Indeed, in this case, what once had glory has come to have no glory at all, because of the glory that surpasses it.11For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.
Psalm 99
1The LORD reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake!2The LORD is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples.3Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he!4The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity; you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.5Exalt the LORD our God; worship at his footstool! Holy is he!6Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel also was among those who called upon his name. They called to the LORD, and he answered them.7In the pillar of the cloud he spoke to them; they kept his testimonies and the statute that he gave them.8O LORD our God, you answered them; you were a forgiving God to them, but an avenger of their wrongdoings.9Exalt the LORD our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the LORD our God is holy!
Gospel: Matthew 5.17-19
17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.18For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.19Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we explore the transition from the old covenant to the new, and the enduring relevance of God’s law. Paul, in his second letter to the Corinthians, contrasts the ministry of the Spirit with the old covenant, emphasizing that while the old was glorious, the new covenant in the Spirit is even more so. He reminds us that our adequacy comes from God, not from ourselves, and that the Spirit brings life, whereas the letter alone kills. This message invites us to embrace the vibrant life offered by the Spirit.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches that He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. He underscores the permanence of the law, stating that not even the smallest part will pass away until all is accomplished. This teaching challenges us to understand the law not as a set of rigid rules, but as a foundation fulfilled through love and grace. Jesus warns against loosening the commandments and promises greatness to those who both practice and teach them.
These readings remind us that our faith is not about legalistic observance but about living in the Spirit. The old covenant, with its written laws, was a stepping stone to the new covenant, where the Spirit writes God’s law on our hearts. As we navigate daily life, let us seek to live in the Spirit, allowing God’s grace to guide us. This means not just following rules, but embodying love, mercy, and grace. May we strive to live in a way that reflects the Spirit, fulfilling the law through our actions and teachings, and thus being great in the kingdom of heaven.