Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 9, 2017
Psalm 145
1I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.2Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.3Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.4One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.5I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works.6And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts: and I will declare thy greatness.7They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.8The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.9The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works.10All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.11They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power;12To make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom.13Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.14The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.15The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season.16Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.17The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.18The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth.19He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.20The LORD preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.21My mouth shall speak the praise of the LORD: and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.
Second Reading: Romans 8.9, 11-13
9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.11But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.12Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.13For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Gospel: Matthew 11.25-30
25At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.26Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.27All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the relationship between the Spirit of God and our daily lives. In the second reading from Romans, St. Paul contrasts living "in the flesh" with living "in the spirit." He reminds us that if the Spirit of Christ dwells within us, we are called to mortify the deeds of the flesh and instead live according to the Spirit. This is not about rejecting our humanity but about allowing God’s grace to transform us from within. The context of this passage is Paul’s broader discussion of the struggle between the flesh and the spirit, a theme central to the Christian life. He emphasizes that true freedom and life come not from indulging our selfish desires but from surrendering to the power of the Holy Spirit.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks of the Father’s wisdom in revealing divine truths to "little ones" rather than to the wise and the proud. This reflects the humility required to follow Christ. Jesus then extends an invitation to all who are burdened, offering rest and refreshment. The yoke of Christ, though it may seem heavy, is actually "sweet and light" because it is rooted in love and humility. The context here is Jesus’ response to the Pharisees’ hardness of heart, contrasting their pride with the simplicity and openness of those who are willing to learn from him. Together, the readings remind us that living in the Spirit and following Christ require humility and trust in God’s wisdom over human wisdom.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to examine how we approach challenges and burdens. Are we trying to carry our crosses alone, relying on our own strength, or are we turning to the Spirit for guidance and grace? Jesus invites us to yoke ourselves to him, not because he wants to add to our burdens, but because he desires to share them with us and give us rest. The moral lesson is clear: true freedom and peace come from living in the Spirit and embracing humility. Let us ask for the grace to let go of pride and self-reliance, and instead, trust in God’s wisdom and love to carry us through.