Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 4, 2020
First Reading: Jeremiah 30.1-2, 12-15, 18-22
1The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,2Thus speaketh the LORD God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book.12For thus saith the LORD, Thy bruise is incurable, and thy wound is grievous.13There is none to plead thy cause, that thou mayest be bound up: thou hast no healing medicines.14All thy lovers have forgotten thee; they seek thee not; for I have wounded thee with the wound of an enemy, with the chastisement of a cruel one, for the multitude of thine iniquity; because thy sins were increased.15Why criest thou for thine affliction? thy sorrow is incurable for the multitude of thine iniquity: because thy sins were increased, I have done these things unto thee.18Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob's tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap, and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof.19And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small.20Their children also shall be as aforetime, and their congregation shall be established before me, and I will punish all that oppress them.21And their nobles shall be of themselves, and their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the LORD.22And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.
Psalm 102
1Hear my prayer, O LORD, and let my cry come unto thee.2Hide not thy face from me in the day when I am in trouble; incline thine ear unto me: in the day when I call answer me speedily.3For my days are consumed like smoke, and my bones are burned as an hearth.4My heart is smitten, and withered like grass; so that I forget to eat my bread.5By reason of the voice of my groaning my bones cleave to my skin.6I am like a pelican of the wilderness: I am like an owl of the desert.7I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the house top.8Mine enemies reproach me all the day; and they that are mad against me are sworn against me.9For I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping,10Because of thine indignation and thy wrath: for thou hast lifted me up, and cast me down.11My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass.12But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations.13Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.14For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof.15So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.16When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.17He will regard the prayer of the destitute, and not despise their prayer.18This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the LORD.19For he hath looked down from the height of his sanctuary; from heaven did the LORD behold the earth;20To hear the groaning of the prisoner; to loose those that are appointed to death;21To declare the name of the LORD in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem;22When the people are gathered together, and the kingdoms, to serve the LORD.23He weakened my strength in the way; he shortened my days.24I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days: thy years are throughout all generations.25Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.26They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:27But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.28The children of thy servants shall continue, and their seed shall be established before thee.
Gospel: Matthew 15.1-2, 10-14
1Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying,2Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.10And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:11Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.12Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?13But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.14Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the relationship between God’s healing grace and our own need for inner transformation. In the first reading from Jeremiah, we hear a message of both judgment and hope. The prophet speaks of Israel’s deep wounds and incurable fractures, caused by their stubborn sins and refusal to turn back to God. Yet, even in the midst of this suffering, God promises restoration: the tabernacles of Jacob will be rebuilt, the people will be multiplied, and their ruler will come from among them. This is a testament to God’s faithfulness and mercy, even when His people have wandered far from Him.
In the Gospel, Jesus challenges the Pharisees and his disciples to rethink what truly matters in living a holy life. The Pharisees are concerned with outward traditions, like washing hands before eating, but Jesus points out that it is not what enters the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the heart. He emphasizes that true purity comes from within, and that outward observances are meaningless if they do not reflect a transformed heart. This teaching is a call to examine our own lives: are we more focused on appearances and rules, or are we allowing God to work deeply within us, changing our hearts and minds?
These readings are connected by the theme of healing and transformation. Jeremiah’s message of restoration and Jesus’ teaching on inner purity remind us that God is always at work to heal and renew us. However, this healing requires us to acknowledge our brokenness and to turn to Him with humble and open hearts. In our daily lives, we are often tempted to focus on external fixes or superficial changes, but the readings today call us to look deeper. Let us ask ourselves: Where am I holding onto sin or stubbornness? How can I allow God to heal and transform me from within? By trusting in His mercy and surrendering to His will, we can experience the restoration and renewal that only He can provide.