Daily Catholic Mass Readings for September 3, 2024
First Reading: 1 Corinthians 2.10b-16
10But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.11For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.12Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.13Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.14But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.15But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.16For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
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 4.31-37
31And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days.32And they were astonished at his doctrine: for his word was with power.33And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,34Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.35And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.36And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.37And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter profound truths about the nature of God's wisdom and the authority of Jesus Christ. The First Reading from 1 Corinthians reminds us that spiritual truths are not discerned through human wisdom but through the Holy Spirit. Paul emphasizes that the Spirit of God reveals the depths of divine wisdom, which the "natural man" cannot comprehend. This passage invites us to humbly acknowledge our limitations and to rely on the Spirit for understanding the things of God.
The Gospel from Luke illustrates this spiritual truth in action. Jesus, filled with the Holy Spirit, teaches with authority and casts out an unclean demon. The people are astonished not only by His teaching but by the power with which He commands the evil spirit to depart. This scene reveals the connection between spiritual authority and the work of the Holy Spirit. Just as Jesus relied on the Spirit to fulfill His mission, we too are called to live in the power of the Spirit, trusting in God's wisdom and authority to guide us in our own struggles and challenges.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Do we seek to understand God's will through the lens of the Holy Spirit, or do we rely solely on our own reasoning? In a world filled with confusion and darkness, we are reminded that true wisdom and authority come from God. May we, like Jesus, live in the power of the Spirit, trusting in His guidance and allowing Him to transform our lives and our world. Let us pray for the grace to discern God's will and to live as spiritual beings, not merely as "natural men," so that we may bear witness to the wisdom and authority of Christ in all we do.