Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 9, 2017
First Reading: Numbers 13.1-2, 25-33; 14.1-2b, 26-29, 34-35
1And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying,2Send thou men, that they may search the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel: of every tribe of their fathers shall ye send a man, every one a ruler among them.25And they returned from searching of the land after forty days.26And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land.27And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.28Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.29The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan.30And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it.31But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we.32And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature.33And there we saw the giants, the sons of Anak, which come of the giants: and we were in our own sight as grasshoppers, and so we were in their sight.
1And all the congregation lifted up their voice, and cried; and the people wept that night.2And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness!26And the LORD spake unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying,27How long shall I bear with this evil congregation, which murmur against me? I have heard the murmurings of the children of Israel, which they murmur against me.28Say unto them, As truly as I live, saith the LORD, as ye have spoken in mine ears, so will I do to you:29Your carcases shall fall in this wilderness; and all that were numbered of you, according to your whole number, from twenty years old and upward, which have murmured against me,34After the number of the days in which ye searched the land, even forty days, each day for a year, shall ye bear your iniquities, even forty years, and ye shall know my breach of promise.35I the LORD have said, I will surely do it unto all this evil congregation, that are gathered together against me: in this wilderness they shall be consumed, and there they shall die.
Psalm 106
1Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.2Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? who can shew forth all his praise?3Blessed are they that keep judgment, and he that doeth righteousness at all times.4Remember me, O LORD, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people: O visit me with thy salvation;5That I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.6We have sinned with our fathers, we have committed iniquity, we have done wickedly.7Our fathers understood not thy wonders in Egypt; they remembered not the multitude of thy mercies; but provoked him at the sea, even at the Red sea.8Nevertheless he saved them for his name's sake, that he might make his mighty power to be known.9He rebuked the Red sea also, and it was dried up: so he led them through the depths, as through the wilderness.10And he saved them from the hand of him that hated them, and redeemed them from the hand of the enemy.11And the waters covered their enemies: there was not one of them left.12Then believed they his words; they sang his praise.13They soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel:14But lusted exceedingly in the wilderness, and tempted God in the desert.15And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.16They envied Moses also in the camp, and Aaron the saint of the LORD.17The earth opened and swallowed up Dathan, and covered the company of Abiram.18And a fire was kindled in their company; the flame burned up the wicked.19They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.20Thus they changed their glory into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.21They forgat God their saviour, which had done great things in Egypt;22Wondrous works in the land of Ham, and terrible things by the Red sea.23Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.24Yea, they despised the pleasant land, they believed not his word:25But murmured in their tents, and hearkened not unto the voice of the LORD.26Therefore he lifted up his hand against them, to overthrow them in the wilderness:27To overthrow their seed also among the nations, and to scatter them in the lands.28They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor, and ate the sacrifices of the dead.29Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: and the plague brake in upon them.30Then stood up Phinehas, and executed judgment: and so the plague was stayed.31And that was counted unto him for righteousness unto all generations for evermore.32They angered him also at the waters of strife, so that it went ill with Moses for their sakes:33Because they provoked his spirit, so that he spake unadvisedly with his lips.34They did not destroy the nations, concerning whom the LORD commanded them:35But were mingled among the heathen, and learned their works.36And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them.37Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils,38And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.39Thus were they defiled with their own works, and went a whoring with their own inventions.40Therefore was the wrath of the LORD kindled against his people, insomuch that he abhorred his own inheritance.41And he gave them into the hand of the heathen; and they that hated them ruled over them.42Their enemies also oppressed them, and they were brought into subjection under their hand.43Many times did he deliver them; but they provoked him with their counsel, and were brought low for their iniquity.44Nevertheless he regarded their affliction, when he heard their cry:45And he remembered for them his covenant, and repented according to the multitude of his mercies.46He made them also to be pitied of all those that carried them captives.47Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto thy holy name, and to triumph in thy praise.48Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD.
Gospel: Matthew 15.21-28
21Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon.22And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil.23But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.24But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.25Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.26But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.27And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.28Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful lessons on faith and trust in God. The first reading from Numbers recounts the story of the Israelites as they stand at the threshold of the Promised Land. Moses sends spies to explore Canaan, and while the land is indeed fertile and abundant, the majority of the spies are overwhelmed by fear. They focus on the strength of the inhabitants and the size of the cities, convincing the people that the task of conquering the land is impossible. This lack of faith leads to rebellion against Moses and Aaron, and ultimately, the Lord’s judgment: the generation that refused to trust in His promise would wander the wilderness for forty years, never entering the land.
In contrast, the Gospel from Matthew presents a woman of great faith, a Canaanite who approaches Jesus with persistence and humility. Though initially rebuffed, she refuses to give up, even when Jesus seems to dismiss her by comparing her to a dog. Instead, she seizes on His words, acknowledging the truth of His statement but also trusting in His mercy. Her faith is rewarded when Jesus heals her daughter, commending her for her perseverance and trust.
These readings remind us that faith is not about having all the answers or being free from fear, but about trusting in God’s promises even when the path ahead seems uncertain. The Israelites in the wilderness allowed their fear to overshadow God’s covenant, while the Canaanite woman let her faith overcome every obstacle. In our own lives, we face moments of doubt and fear, but the Lord invites us to step out in trust, knowing that He is always with us. Let us ask for the grace to imitate the Canaanite woman’s perseverance and faith, that we might see God’s wonders in our own lives.