Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 16, 2023
First Reading: Isaiah 55.10-11
10For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Psalm 65
1Praise waiteth for thee, O God, in Sion: and unto thee shall the vow be performed.2O thou that hearest prayer, unto thee shall all flesh come.3Iniquities prevail against me: as for our transgressions, thou shalt purge them away.4Blessed is the man whom thou choosest, and causest to approach unto thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of thy house, even of thy holy temple.5By terrible things in righteousness wilt thou answer us, O God of our salvation; who art the confidence of all the ends of the earth, and of them that are afar off upon the sea:6Which by his strength setteth fast the mountains; being girded with power:7Which stilleth the noise of the seas, the noise of their waves, and the tumult of the people.8They also that dwell in the uttermost parts are afraid at thy tokens: thou makest the outgoings of the morning and evening to rejoice.9Thou visitest the earth, and waterest it: thou greatly enrichest it with the river of God, which is full of water: thou preparest them corn, when thou hast so provided for it.10Thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly: thou settlest the furrows thereof: thou makest it soft with showers: thou blessest the springing thereof.11Thou crownest the year with thy goodness; and thy paths drop fatness.12They drop upon the pastures of the wilderness: and the little hills rejoice on every side.13The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing.
Second Reading: Romans 8.18-23
18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.19For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.20For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,21Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.22For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.23And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
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 the power of God’s word and the hope it brings to our lives. In the first reading from Isaiah, we hear that just as rain and snow nourish the earth and bring forth life, so too does God’s word accomplish its purpose. It does not return empty but bears fruit in those who receive it. This reminds us of the reliability and fruitfulness of God’s promises. The second reading from Romans deepens this theme by speaking of the hope that sustains us amidst suffering. St. Paul reminds us that the struggles of this life are nothing compared to the glory that awaits us. Creation itself groans in anticipation of the revelation of God’s children, and we, too, groan inwardly as we await the fullness of our adoption. This hope is not wishful thinking but a confident trust in God’s plan.
In the Gospel, Jesus uses the parable of the sower to teach us about the different ways people respond to God’s word. The seed represents the word of God, and the various types of soil represent the dispositions of our hearts. Some hearts are hardened, others are shallow, and still, others are distracted by the cares of the world. But the good soil, which is fertile and receptive, bears abundant fruit. This parable challenges us to examine our own hearts and ask: “What kind of soil am I?” Do we allow God’s word to take root in us, or do we let the challenges of life choke it out?
These readings call us to trust in the power of God’s word and to cultivate hearts that are open and receptive to it. Just as the rain and snow bring life to the earth, God’s word has the power to transform us and bring forth fruit in our lives. Let us not lose hope, even when we face struggles, for we know that our present sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory that awaits us. May we be like the good soil, bearing fruit in abundance, and may we trust in God’s promise to bring his word to fulfillment in our lives.