Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 7, 2021
First Reading: Deuteronomy 6.4-13
4Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:5And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.6And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:7And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.8And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.9And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.10And it shall be, when the LORD thy God shall have brought thee into the land which he sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give thee great and goodly cities, which thou buildedst not,11And houses full of all good things, which thou filledst not, and wells digged, which thou diggedst not, vineyards and olive trees, which thou plantedst not; when thou shalt have eaten and be full;12Then beware lest thou forget the LORD, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.13Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.
Psalm 18
1I will love thee, O LORD, my strength.2The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.3I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.4The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.5The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.6In my distress I called upon the LORD, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.7Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.8There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.9He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.10And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.11He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.12At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.13The LORD also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.14Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.15Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O LORD, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.16He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.17He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.18They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay.19He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.20The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.21For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God.22For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.23I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.24Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.25With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;26With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.27For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.28For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.29For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.30As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.31For who is God save the LORD? or who is a rock save our God?32It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.33He maketh my feet like hinds' feet, and setteth me upon my high places.34He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.35Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.36Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.37I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.38I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.39For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.40Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.41They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the LORD, but he answered them not.42Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.43Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.44As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.45The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.46The LORD liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.47It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.48He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.49Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.50Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.
Gospel: Matthew 17.14-20
14And when they were come to the multitude, there came to him a certain man, kneeling down to him, and saying,15Lord, have mercy on my son: for he is lunatick, and sore vexed: for ofttimes he falleth into the fire, and oft into the water.16And I brought him to thy disciples, and they could not cure him.17Then Jesus answered and said, O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.18And Jesus rebuked the devil; and he departed out of him: and the child was cured from that very hour.19Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out?20And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.
Sermon
In today's readings, we explore the themes of faith, love, and trust in God. The passage from Deuteronomy emphasizes the importance of loving God with all our being and passing His commandments to future generations. It serves as a reminder to remain faithful, especially during times of prosperity, lest we forget God's providence. The Gospel from Matthew illustrates Jesus' healing of an epileptic boy, highlighting the power of faith. Despite the disciples' inability to heal the boy, Jesus demonstrates that even a small amount of faith can lead to great outcomes.
Both readings, though from different contexts, share a common thread: the necessity of unwavering faith and trust in God. Deuteronomy, part of Moses' farewell address, urges the Israelites to remain faithful as they enter the Promised Land. Matthew's narrative, set during Jesus' ministry, teaches the disciples about the power of faith. Together, they remind us that our relationship with God must be rooted in love and sustained by faith, guiding our actions and decisions.
In our daily lives, these teachings encourage us to nurture our faith and trust in God. Whether facing challenges or experiencing blessings, we are called to remember God's presence and provision. By cultivating faith, even as small as a mustard seed, we can overcome life's obstacles. Let us reflect on our commitment to God, ensuring our actions and hearts are aligned with His will, fostering a deep and abiding trust in His plan for our lives.