Daily Catholic Mass Readings for March 6, 2023
First Reading: Daniel 9.3, 4b-10
3And I set my face unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes:4And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;5We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:6Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.7O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.8O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.9To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;10Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
Psalm 79
1O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps.2The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth.3Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them.4We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us.5How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire?6Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name.7For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place.8O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low.9Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake.10Wherefore should the heathen say, Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed.11Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die;12And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord.13So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.
Gospel: Luke 6.36-38
36Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.37Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:38Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful expressions of humility and mercy. The first reading from Daniel is a heartfelt prayer of confession and repentance. Daniel acknowledges the sins of his people, taking responsibility not only for their failures but also for his own. He humbly recognizes that justice belongs to God, while confusion and shame belong to those who have turned away from His commandments. This prayer is not just an admission of guilt but a plea for mercy, trusting in God’s faithfulness and love. The context of this passage is a time of exile for the Israelites, a moment of deep sorrow and reflection. Daniel’s prayer reminds us that true repentance involves acknowledging our sins, taking responsibility, and trusting in God’s mercy.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the importance of living out God’s mercy in our daily lives. He says, “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” This is not merely a suggestion but a call to imitate God’s very nature. Jesus emphasizes that our actions have consequences: the way we judge, forgive, and give to others will be the measure by which we are judged. This teaching is rooted in the idea that we are called to reflect God’s love and compassion in the world. If we are merciful, forgiving, and generous, we will experience the same in return. The context of this passage is Jesus’ Sermon on the Plain, where He outlines the characteristics of those who follow Him.
Both readings are connected by the theme of mercy and our response to God’s love. Daniel’s prayer shows us how to approach God with humility and trust, while Jesus’ teaching calls us to extend that same mercy to others. In our daily lives, this means letting go of judgment and instead choosing to forgive, to give freely, and to love without condition. It is a call to examine how we treat others and to reflect God’s mercy in our actions. As we strive to live this way, we are reminded that God’s mercy is not just something we receive but something we are called to share with the world. May we, like Daniel, turn to God with humble hearts, and may we, like Jesus teaches, be instruments of His mercy in the lives of those around us.