Daily Catholic Mass Readings for June 4, 2021
First Reading: Tobit 11.5-15
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Psalm 146
1Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.2While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.3Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.4His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish.5Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:6Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever:7Which executeth judgment for the oppressed: which giveth food to the hungry. The LORD looseth the prisoners:8The LORD openeth the eyes of the blind: the LORD raiseth them that are bowed down: the LORD loveth the righteous:9The LORD preserveth the strangers; he relieveth the fatherless and widow: but the way of the wicked he turneth upside down.10The LORD shall reign for ever, even thy God, O Zion, unto all generations. Praise ye the LORD.
Gospel: Mark 12.35-37
35And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David?36For David himself said by the Holy Ghost, The LORD said to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.37David therefore himself calleth him Lord; and whence is he then his son? And the common people heard him gladly.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the power of faith, healing, and the mystery of God’s identity. In the first reading from Tobit, we witness the dramatic healing of Tobit’s blindness. Tobias, guided by the angel Raphael, uses the gall of a fish to restore his father’s sight. This story is not just about physical healing but also about the restoration of hope and faith in God’s providence. Tobit’s journey from darkness to light mirrors our own spiritual journeys, where God often works through unexpected means to bring us closer to Him.
In the Gospel, Jesus challenges the understanding of the Messiah’s identity. He quotes Psalm 110, where David calls the Messiah “Lord,” prompting the question of how the Messiah can be David’s son if David himself refers to Him as Lord. This exchange highlights the paradox of Jesus’ divine and human nature. It reminds us that God’s ways are not bound by human logic or expectations. Just as Tobit’s healing defied natural explanations, Jesus’ identity as both Son of David and Lord of all transcends human understanding.
These readings call us to embrace faith in the face of uncertainty and to trust in God’s plan, even when it seems inexplicable. Like Tobit, we may find ourselves in dark or challenging situations, but God is always at work, bringing light and healing in ways we least expect. And like the crowd in the temple, we are invited to ponder the mystery of God’s nature and to surrender our limited understanding to His divine wisdom. May we, like Tobias, act with faith and trust, knowing that God’s power can transform even the darkest corners of our lives.