Daily Catholic Mass Readings for March 23, 2025
First Reading: Exodus 3.1-8a, 13-15
1Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.2And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.3And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.4And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.5And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.6Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.7And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;8And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.13And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them?14And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.15And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
Psalm 103
1Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:3Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;4Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;5Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.6The LORD executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.7He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.8The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.9He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.10He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.11For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.12As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.13Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.14For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.15As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.16For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.17But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;18To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.19The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.20Bless the LORD, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.21Bless ye the LORD, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.22Bless the LORD, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 10.1-6, 10-12
1Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;2And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;3And did all eat the same spiritual meat;4And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.5But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.6Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.10Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.11Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.12Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
Gospel: Luke 13.1-9
1There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.2And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?3I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.4Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?5I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.6He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.7Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?8And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:9And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter three distinct yet interconnected messages that guide us in our faith journey. The first reading from Exodus recounts Moses' encounter with the burning bush, where God reveals Himself as "I AM WHO AM" and commissions Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. This moment underscores God's initiative in salvation and the call to trust in His presence, even in uncertain circumstances.
The second reading from 1 Corinthians serves as a cautionary tale, using the Israelites' wilderness experiences to warn against desires and murmuring. Paul emphasizes that their stories are examples for us, urging us to learn from the past and stand firm in faith. This reading highlights the importance of humility and gratitude, reminding us that our actions have consequences and that we must avoid the pitfalls of complacency.
In the Gospel, Luke presents Jesus' teachings on repentance and God's patience. Jesus uses tragic events and the parable of the fig tree to stress the need for amendment of life. This parable teaches us about God's patience and the opportunity for repentance, encouraging us to bear fruit in our lives.
Together, these readings remind us of God's active role in our lives, the importance of faithfulness, and the call to repentance. They invite us to reflect on our relationship with God, to learn from past mistakes, and to embrace the grace of repentance. Let us respond by deepening our trust in God, remaining vigilant in our faith, and bearing fruit in our lives, mindful of God's patience and the call to holiness.