Daily Catholic Mass Readings for March 15, 2024
First Reading: Wisdom 2.1a, 12-22
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Psalm 34
1I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.2My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.3Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!4I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.5Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.6This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.7The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.8Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!9Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!10The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.11Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.12What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good?13Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.14Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.15The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and his ears toward their cry.16The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.17When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.18The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.19Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.20He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.21Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned.22The LORD redeems the life of his servants; none of those who take refuge in him will be condemned.
Gospel: John 7.1-2, 10, 25-30
1After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him.2Now the Jews' Feast of Booths was at hand.10But after his brothers had gone up to the feast, then he also went up, not publicly but in private.25Some of the people of Jerusalem therefore said, "Is not this the man whom they seek to kill?26And here he is, speaking openly, and they say nothing to him! Can it be that the authorities really know that this is the Christ?27But we know where this man comes from, and when the Christ appears, no one will know where he comes from."28So Jesus proclaimed, as he taught in the temple, "You know me, and you know where I come from? But I have not come of my own accord. He who sent me is true, and him you do not know.29I know him, for I come from him, and he sent me."30So they were seeking to arrest him, but no one laid a hand on him, because his hour had not yet come.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that explore the themes of righteousness, persecution, and divine wisdom. The first reading from the Book of Wisdom describes the malicious plot of the wicked against the just man. The wicked, driven by jealousy and misunderstanding, seek to test the just man’s faith by subjecting him to suffering and death. They question whether God will truly come to his aid, revealing their own spiritual blindness and ignorance of God’s mysterious ways. The passage underscores the timeless struggle between good and evil, highlighting the persecution of the righteous and the folly of those who oppose God’s plan.
In the Gospel, we find Jesus navigating a similar dynamic of opposition and misunderstanding. As he teaches openly in the temple during the Feast of Tabernacles, the authorities seek to apprehend him, yet no one lays hands on him because his “hour had not yet come.” Jesus confronts the crowd’s confusion about his identity, asserting that while they may think they know his origins, his true identity comes from God, whom they do not know. This exchange reveals the tension between Jesus’ divine mission and the limited understanding of those around him. Like the just man in Wisdom, Jesus faces hostility from those who fail to recognize the truth of God’s presence in their midst.
These readings invite us to reflect on how we respond to challenges and opposition in our own lives. Like the just man and Jesus, we may face situations where our commitment to God’s ways leads to misunderstanding or even hostility. The readings remind us that true wisdom and justice come from God, and that even in the face of adversity, we are called to trust in His plan. Let us ask ourselves: Do we stand firm in our faith when others question or oppose us? Do we seek to understand God’s mysterious ways, even when they seem unclear? May we find the courage to live out our faith with perseverance and hope, knowing that God’s truth will ultimately prevail.