Daily Catholic Mass Readings for September 7, 2024
First Reading: 1 Corinthians 4.6-15
6I have applied all these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, brothers, that you may learn by us not to go beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up in favor of one against another.7For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?8Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you!9For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men.10We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute.11To the present hour we hunger and thirst, we are poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless,12and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure;13when slandered, we entreat. We have become, and are still, like the scum of the world, the refuse of all things.14I do not write these things to make you ashamed, but to admonish you as my beloved children.15For though you have countless guides in Christ, you do not have many fathers. For I became your father in Christ Jesus through the gospel.
Psalm 145
1I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.2Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever.3Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.4One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.5On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.6They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness.7They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.8The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.9The LORD is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.10All your works shall give thanks to you, O LORD, and all your saints shall bless you!11They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power,12to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations.[The LORD is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.]14The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.15The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season.16You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing.17The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.18The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.19He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them.20The LORD preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.21My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.
Gospel: Luke 6.1-5
1On a Sabbath, while he was going through the grainfields, his disciples plucked and ate some heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands.2But some of the Pharisees said, "Why are you doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath?"3And Jesus answered them, "Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, he and those who were with him:4how he entered the house of God and took and ate the bread of the Presence, which is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those with him?"5And he said to them, "The Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on humility, service, and the true meaning of authority. In the first reading from 1 Corinthians, St. Paul humbly reminds the Corinthians that everything they have is a gift from God, and they should not boast as if their accomplishments or possessions were entirely their own. He contrasts the Corinthians’ pride with the apostles’ suffering and self-emptying, emphasizing that true greatness lies in serving others, not in seeking power or recognition. In the Gospel, Jesus challenges the Pharisees’ rigid understanding of the Sabbath by reminding them that the Sabbath was made for humanity, not the other way around. He asserts His authority as the Lord of the Sabbath, teaching that compassion and human needs should take precedence over strict legalism.
Both readings call us to re-examine our priorities and our understanding of what it means to live as followers of Christ. Paul’s words remind us that our talents, resources, and even our faith are gifts from God, and we should use them to serve others, not to elevate ourselves. Jesus’ encounter with the Pharisees challenges us to approach rules and traditions with a heart of love and mercy, rather than legalistic rigidity. Together, these readings encourage us to embrace humility, recognize our dependence on God, and live in a way that reflects the values of the Kingdom of God.
In our daily lives, this means letting go of pride and competition, and instead seeking to serve others with gratitude and generosity. It means being open to God’s surprises and not being bound by our own limited perspectives. As we strive to live out these teachings, may we learn to see ourselves and our gifts as part of God’s larger plan, and may we approach every situation with the humility and compassion that Jesus modeled for us.