Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 20, 2022
First Reading: Jeremiah 1.1, 4-10
1The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin:4Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,5Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.6Then said I, Ah, Lord GOD! behold, I cannot speak: for I am a child.7But the LORD said unto me, Say not, I am a child: for thou shalt go to all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak.8Be not afraid of their faces: for I am with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD.9Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.10See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.
Psalm 71
1In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.2Deliver me in thy righteousness, and cause me to escape: incline thine ear unto me, and save me.3Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress.4Deliver me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man.5For thou art my hope, O Lord GOD: thou art my trust from my youth.6By thee have I been holden up from the womb: thou art he that took me out of my mother's bowels: my praise shall be continually of thee.7I am as a wonder unto many; but thou art my strong refuge.8Let my mouth be filled with thy praise and with thy honour all the day.9Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength faileth.10For mine enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together,11Saying, God hath forsaken him: persecute and take him; for there is none to deliver him.12O God, be not far from me: O my God, make haste for my help.13Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonour that seek my hurt.14But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.15My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousness and thy salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof.16I will go in the strength of the Lord GOD: I will make mention of thy righteousness, even of thine only.17O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.18Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come.19Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!20Thou, which hast shewed me great and sore troubles, shalt quicken me again, and shalt bring me up again from the depths of the earth.21Thou shalt increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.22I will also praise thee with the psaltery, even thy truth, O my God: unto thee will I sing with the harp, O thou Holy One of Israel.23My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.24My tongue also shall talk of thy righteousness all the day long: for they are confounded, for they are brought unto shame, that seek my hurt.
Gospel: Matthew 13.1-9
1The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.2And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.3And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;4And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:5Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:6And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.7And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:8But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.9Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on God’s call and our response to it. In the first reading, Jeremiah, a young and reluctant prophet, is called by God to speak to the nations. Despite his fears and insecurities, God assures him, “Do not say, ‘I am a boy.’ For you shall go to everyone I send you.” This passage reminds us that God’s call often comes when we feel unprepared or unworthy, but His grace is sufficient to overcome our limitations. Jeremiah’s mission is to “root up and pull down, to destroy and scatter, to build and plant,” a powerful reminder that God’s word has the power to transform and renew.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the sower, which challenges us to consider how we receive God’s word. The seed that falls on good soil bears fruit abundantly, while the seed that falls on rocky or thorny ground withers away. This parable is not just about the soil; it is about the disposition of our hearts. Like Jeremiah, we are called to be open and receptive to God’s word, trusting that it will bear fruit in our lives. The parable also reminds us that our response to God’s word determines the depth of its impact in our lives and in the world around us.
These readings call us to trust in God’s plan and to be open to His word. Like Jeremiah, we may feel inadequate or unprepared, but God equips us for the mission He has given us. Like the good soil, we must cultivate humility, openness, and perseverance so that God’s word can take root in our hearts and bear fruit in our lives. Let us ask for the grace to be faithful stewards of the gifts and callings God has entrusted to us, and to trust in His promise to be with us always.