Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 9, 2023
First Reading: Zechariah 9.9-10
9Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.10And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off: and he shall speak peace unto the heathen: and his dominion shall be from sea even to sea, and from the river even to the ends of the earth.
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.
Second Reading: Romans 8.9, 11-13
9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.11But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.12Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.13For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Gospel: Matthew 11.25-30
25At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.26Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.27All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the humility of God and the call to live in harmony with His will. In the first reading from Zechariah, we hear a prophetic announcement of the coming King, who is just and saves, riding humbly on a donkey. This passage, written in a time of hope and longing for Israel’s restoration, points to a Messiah who brings peace and reigns not with power and might, but with simplicity and meekness. The Gospel from Matthew echoes this theme, as Jesus reveals that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. He invites those who are weary to come to Him, promising rest. This invitation is not just for the strong or the wise, but for the humble and the simple, as Jesus thanks the Father for revealing these truths to "little ones."
The second reading from Romans reminds us that living as Christians means living in the Spirit, not in the flesh. St. Paul contrasts the life governed by self-interest and worldly desires with the life transformed by the Holy Spirit. He encourages us to mortify the deeds of the flesh and instead live according to the Spirit, which leads to true life. This teaching complements the humility emphasized in the other readings, for living in the Spirit requires surrendering our own will and trusting in God’s plan.
These readings call us to embrace humility and simplicity in our daily lives. In a world that often values power, success, and self-reliance, we are reminded that true strength comes from trusting in God and living according to His will. Let us ask ourselves: Do we allow the Spirit to guide us, or do we insist on our own way? Do we approach life with the humility of the "little ones," or do we try to rely on our own understanding? Jesus’ invitation to take His yoke upon us is an invitation to let go of our burdens and find rest in Him. May we learn to live in the Spirit, embracing the humility and trust that leads to true freedom and peace.