Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 31, 2022
First Reading: 1 Corinthians 3.1-9
1But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ.2I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready,3for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?4For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not being merely human?5What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each.6I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth.7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.8He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor.9For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building.
Psalm 33
1Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright.2Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!3Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts.4For the word of the LORD is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness.5He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the LORD.6By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.7He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses.8Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!9For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.10The LORD brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; he frustrates the plans of the peoples.11The counsel of the LORD stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage!13The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man;14from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth,15he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.16The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength.17The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its great might it cannot rescue.18Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,19that he may deliver their soul from death and keep them alive in famine.20Our soul waits for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.21For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.22Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.
Gospel: Luke 4.38-44
38And he arose and left the synagogue and entered Simon's house. Now Simon's mother-in-law was ill with a high fever, and they appealed to him on her behalf.39And he stood over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her, and immediately she rose and began to serve them.40Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to him, and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.41And demons also came out of many, crying, "You are the Son of God!" But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew that he was the Christ.42And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him, and would have kept him from leaving them,43but he said to them, "I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose."44And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful lessons about humility, service, and the nature of God’s work in the world. The first reading from 1 Corinthians reminds us that we are all spiritual infants, still in need of growth and guidance. Paul humbly acknowledges that he and other ministers are merely servants of God, planting and watering the seeds of faith, but it is God alone who gives the growth. This passage challenges us to recognize our limitations and to trust in God’s providence, rather than relying on our own strength or divisions. The second reading from Luke’s Gospel shows Jesus as the ultimate servant, healing the sick and casting out demons, yet always remaining focused on His mission to preach the Kingdom of God. Despite the crowds’ desire to keep Him close, Jesus knows His work is far from over, and He moves on to fulfill His calling.
The readings are deeply connected in their emphasis on God’s initiative and our role as cooperators in His plan. Just as Paul and Apollos are merely instruments of God’s grace, Jesus’ miracles and teachings are not for His own glory but to reveal the Father’s love. Both readings remind us that our efforts, no matter how noble, are only fruitful when they are aligned with God’s will. This is a call to humility and trust, encouraging us to let go of envy, contention, and the desire for human recognition.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to reflect on how we serve others and how we understand our role in the world. Are we like the Corinthians, divided by pride and self-interest, or are we like Jesus, who emptied Himself to serve and preach the Kingdom? Let us ask for the grace to be humble servants, trusting in God’s power to bring fruit to our efforts. May we, like Jesus, remain focused on our mission to love and serve, knowing that the true work is God’s, and we are merely His instruments.