Daily Catholic Mass Readings for May 22, 2024
First Reading: James 4.13-17
13Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit"--14yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.15Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."16As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.17So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.
Psalm 49
1Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,2both low and high, rich and poor together!3My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.4I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.5Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,6those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?7Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life,8for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice,9that he should live on forever and never see the pit.10For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others.11Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names.12Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.13This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah14Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.15But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah16Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases.17For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.18For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed,--and though you get praise when you do well for yourself--19his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light.20Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
Gospel: Mark 9.38-40
38John said to him, "Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us."39But Jesus said, "Do not stop him, for no one who does a mighty work in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me.40For the one who is not against us is for us.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the importance of humility, trust in God’s providence, and the need to avoid judgment and division. In the first reading from James, we are reminded that our lives are fleeting—like a mist that appears and then vanishes. James warns against arrogance and presumption, urging us to recognize that all our plans and achievements are contingent on God’s will. He calls us to live with humility, acknowledging that true wisdom comes from submitting our desires and ambitions to the Lord. The reading also emphasizes the sin of omission—failing to do good when we have the opportunity. This is a call to action, encouraging us to live intentionally and generously, mindful of the shortness of life and the importance of aligning our actions with God’s will.
In the Gospel, Mark presents a scene where the disciples try to stop someone from casting out demons in Jesus’ name because he is not part of their group. Jesus responds by telling them not to prohibit the man, for “whoever is not against us is for us.” This teaching challenges us to move beyond our tendency to judge others based on whether they belong to our group or follow our way of doing things. Jesus is pointing out that God’s work is not limited to those who are part of our circle. It is a call to openness, inclusivity, and trust in God’s ability to work through anyone, even those we might not expect or understand.
Together, these readings remind us that our lives are not our own, and our understanding is limited. We are called to live with humility, recognizing that all we have and all we do is a gift from God. We are also invited to let go of our need to control or judge others, trusting that God can work through anyone who seeks to do good. As we go about our daily lives, let us ask for the grace to live with humility, to trust in God’s providence, and to see the good that others do, even when it doesn’t fit our expectations. May we be open to God’s surprises and generous in our support of those who seek to serve Him, even if their path is different from our own.