Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 5, 2022
First Reading: Hosea 8.4-7, 11-13
4They made kings, but not through me. They set up princes, but I knew it not. With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction.5I have spurned your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence?6For it is from Israel; a craftsman made it; it is not God. The calf of Samaria shall be broken to pieces.7For they sow the wind, and they shall reap the whirlwind. The standing grain has no heads; it shall yield no flour; if it were to yield, strangers would devour it.11Because Ephraim has multiplied altars for sinning, they have become to him altars for sinning.12Were I to write for him my laws by the ten thousands, they would be regarded as a strange thing.13As for my sacrificial offerings, they sacrifice meat and eat it, but the LORD does not accept them. Now he will remember their iniquity and punish their sins; they shall return to Egypt.
Psalm 115
1Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!2Why should the nations say, "Where is their God?"3Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.4Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands.5They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see.6They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell.7They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat.8Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.9O Israel, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.10O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.11You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD! He is their help and their shield.12The LORD has remembered us; he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron;13he will bless those who fear the LORD, both the small and the great.14May the LORD give you increase, you and your children!15May you be blessed by the LORD, who made heaven and earth!16The heavens are the LORD's heavens, but the earth he has given to the children of man.17The dead do not praise the LORD, nor do any who go down into silence.18But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and forevermore. Praise the LORD!
Gospel: Matthew 9.32-38
32As they were going away, behold, a demon-oppressed man who was mute was brought to him.33And when the demon had been cast out, the mute man spoke. And the crowds marveled, saying, "Never was anything like this seen in Israel."34But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the prince of demons."35And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction.36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.37Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few;38therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful reflections on faith, leadership, and the call to serve. The first reading from the prophet Hosea paints a vivid picture of a people who have turned away from God, embracing false idols and empty rituals. Hosea laments that Israel’s leaders have arisen without God’s recognition, and their silver and gold have been fashioned into idols. The prophet warns that their actions will lead to consequences, as they will be sent back to Egypt, symbolizing a return to slavery. This passage serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of spiritual complacency and the rejection of God’s laws.
In the Gospel, we see a stark contrast through the ministry of Jesus. After healing a mute man possessed by a demon, Jesus is met with both amazement and skepticism. While the crowds marvel at His power, the Pharisees attribute His miracles to the prince of demons. Undeterred, Jesus continues His mission, teaching, preaching, and healing. Seeing the crowds as “distressed and lying like sheep without a shepherd,” Jesus calls His disciples to pray for more laborers to join in the harvest of God’s kingdom. This passage emphasizes Jesus’ compassion and the urgent need for spiritual leadership and service.
The readings today invite us to reflect on our own relationship with God and our role in the world. Hosea’s warning about the consequences of turning away from God challenges us to examine our own faithfulness and the ways we may have allowed idols—whether material or ideological—to take God’s place in our lives. Jesus’ example, on the other hand, calls us to compassion and action. Like the disciples, we are invited to pray for more laborers and to consider how we might answer the call to serve others in God’s name. May we strive to be faithful stewards of God’s grace, embracing the mission of the Gospel with humility and love.