Daily Readings - Sun Jul 14 2024

¹²And Amaziah said to Amos, "O seer, go, flee away to the land of Judah, and eat bread there, and prophesy there,¹³but never again prophesy at Bethel, for it is the king's sanctuary, and it is a temple of the kingdom."¹⁴Then Amos answered and said to Amaziah, "I was no prophet, nor a prophet's son, but I was a herdsman and a dresser of sycamore figs.¹⁵But the LORD took me from following the flock, and the LORD said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'

Ephesians

Chapter 1

³Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,⁴even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love⁵he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will,⁶to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,⁸which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight⁹making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ¹⁰as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Mark

Chapter 6

⁷And he called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.⁸He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff--no bread, no bag, no money in their belts--⁹but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics.¹⁰And he said to them, "Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there.¹¹And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them."¹²So they went out and proclaimed that people should repent.¹³And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter powerful themes of divine calling, trust in God’s providence, and the mission to share the Good News. The first reading from Amos illustrates the prophet’s unwavering obedience to God’s call despite opposition. Amos, a humble herdsman, is chosen by God to deliver a message to His people, emphasizing that our worth and mission come from God, not from our own merits. The second reading from Ephesians reminds us of our adoption as God’s children and the abundant grace we’ve received through Christ. It highlights that our lives are part of a larger divine plan to bring all things together in Him. In the Gospel, Mark shows Jesus sending out the apostles with minimal provisions, teaching them to rely on divine providence and to boldly proclaim the Kingdom of God. These readings are deeply connected, as they all point to the universal call to mission and trust in God’s plan. Amos’s obedience, the Ephesians’ adoption, and the apostles’ mission all illustrate that our lives are not our own but are part of God’s greater plan. Each reading encourages us to embrace our role in this plan with faith and courage. In our daily lives, these readings call us to trust in God’s providence and to be bold in sharing the Gospel. Whether in our families, workplaces, or communities, we are called to be missionaries, bringing Christ’s love and light to others. Let us embrace our mission with the same faith as Amos, the same gratitude as the Ephesians, and the same courage as the apostles. May we remember that our ordinary lives are our mission field, and may we live each day with the faith and trust that God is always with us.