Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 24, 2020
First Reading: Revelation 21.9b-14
9And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.10And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,11Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;12And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:13On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.14And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
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.
Gospel: John 1.45-51
45Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.46And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.47Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!48Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee.49Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.50Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.51And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are invited to reflect on the themes of revelation, trust, and the ultimate hope of eternal life with God. The first reading from Revelation paints a vivid picture of the New Jerusalem, descending from heaven in all its glory. This vision is not just a future promise but a call to live in hope and anticipation of God’s plan. The second reading from John’s Gospel tells the story of Nathanael’s encounter with Jesus, where Nathanael moves from skepticism to faith, recognizing Jesus as the Son of God. Both readings remind us that God reveals Himself to us in ways that transcend our limited understanding.
The context of Revelation is one of hope and encouragement for persecuted Christians, offering a glimpse of the ultimate triumph of God’s plan. In John’s Gospel, the story of Nathanael emphasizes the importance of trust and openness to God’s revelation. Just as Nathanael trusted Philip and then Jesus, we are called to trust in God’s plan, even when the path is unclear. The New Jerusalem in Revelation and the revelation of Jesus’ identity in John both point to the same truth: God’s presence is our future and our hope.
In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to live with faith and hope. Like Nathanael, we are invited to “come and see,” to trust in God’s revelation even when we don’t have all the answers. The vision of the New Jerusalem reminds us to keep our eyes fixed on the eternal life God promises, and to live in a way that reflects that hope. Let us strive to trust in God’s plan, just as Nathanael trusted in Jesus, and let us look forward to the day when we will see heaven opened and God’s glory revealed in full.