Daily Catholic Mass Readings for September 7, 2021
First Reading: Colossians 2.6-15
6As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:7Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.8Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.9For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.10And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:11In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:12Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.13And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;14Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;15And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
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: Luke 6.12-19
12And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.13And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles;14Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,15Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,16And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.17And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;18And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.19And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the profound connection between faith, identity, and the transformative power of Christ in our lives. In the first reading from Colossians, St. Paul emphasizes the importance of being rooted in Christ and living out our faith with gratitude and authenticity. He warns against the dangers of being swayed by empty philosophies and worldly influences, reminding us that true fulfillment comes only through Christ, who is the head of all creation. Through baptism, we have been united with Christ in his death and resurrection, and our sins have been forgiven. This passage calls us to live in a way that reflects our new life in Christ, free from the burdens of sin and the false promises of the world.
In the Gospel, Luke describes Jesus’ prayerful selection of the Twelve Apostles and his ministry of healing and compassion. Jesus’ decision to choose these ordinary men as his closest disciples underscores God’s preference for the humble and the unlikely. The crowd that gathers around Jesus is drawn not only by his miracles but by the power of his presence, which touches hearts and heals lives. This passage reminds us that our faith is not just about doctrine or rituals but about a living relationship with Christ, who has the power to transform us and the world around us.
Together, these readings encourage us to deepen our relationship with Christ and to live as his disciples in the world. Like the Colossians, we must resist the pull of secularism and materialism, grounding ourselves instead in the truth of the Gospel. Like the crowd in Luke’s Gospel, we are called to approach Christ with openness and faith, trusting in his power to heal and transform us. As we go about our daily lives, let us remember that we are rooted in Christ and that his power flows through us. May we live with gratitude, humility, and a commitment to sharing the love and light of Christ with all we meet.