Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 2, 2022
First Reading: Amos 9.11-15
11"In that day I will raise up the booth of David that is fallen and repair its breaches, and raise up its ruins and rebuild it as in the days of old,12that they may possess the remnant of Edom and all the nations who are called by my name," declares the LORD who does this.13"Behold, the days are coming," declares the LORD, "when the plowman shall overtake the reaper and the treader of grapes him who sows the seed; the mountains shall drip sweet wine, and all the hills shall flow with it.14I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.15I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them," says the LORD your God.
Psalm 85
1LORD, you were favorable to your land; you restored the fortunes of Jacob.2You forgave the iniquity of your people; you covered all their sin. Selah3You withdrew all your wrath; you turned from your hot anger.4Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us!5Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations?6Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?7Show us your steadfast love, O LORD, and grant us your salvation.8Let me hear what God the LORD will speak, for he will speak peace to his people, to his saints; but let them not turn back to folly.9Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land.10Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other.11Faithfulness springs up from the ground, and righteousness looks down from the sky.12Yes, the LORD will give what is good, and our land will yield its increase.13Righteousness will go before him and make his footsteps a way.
Gospel: Matthew 9.14-17
14Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?"15And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.16No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, for the patch tears away from the garment, and a worse tear is made.17Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful themes of hope, renewal, and trust in God's plan. The First Reading from Amos paints a vivid picture of restoration, where the tabernacle of David is rebuilt, and Israel prospers once more. This vision, born out of a time of despair, reminds us of God's faithfulness and His promise to restore His people. The Gospel from Matthew shifts our focus to Jesus, who uses the analogy of the groom and new wineskins to illustrate the necessity of embracing newness. He explains that His disciples do not fast because they are in the presence of the bridegroom, symbolizing the joy and renewal He brings.
These readings are intricately connected, as both point to the idea that God's plan often requires us to let go of the old to make way for the new. Amos' prophecy of restoration and Jesus' teaching on new wineskins remind us that our structures and ways of thinking must be open to transformation. Just as old wineskins cannot hold new wine, our hearts and minds must be receptive to the Holy Spirit's work in our lives.
In our daily lives, this means embracing change and trusting in God's plan, even when it challenges our comfort. We are called to be open to the Holy Spirit's guidance, allowing Him to bring new life and renewal. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Are we holding on to old ways that prevent us from fully embracing God's newness? Let us trust in His promise to restore and renew us, just as He has done throughout history. May we have the courage to let go and allow God to work in our lives, leading us to a deeper relationship with Him.