Daily Catholic Mass Readings for June 4, 2017
Psalm 104
1Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.2He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent3and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind.4He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.5He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.6You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.7But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;8they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them.9You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth.10He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains.11They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.12The birds of the air nest by the waters; they sing among the branches.13He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work.14He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate- bringing forth food from the earth:15wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart.16The trees of the LORD are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.17There the birds make their nests; the stork has its home in the pine trees.18The high mountains belong to the wild goats; the crags are a refuge for the coneys.19The moon marks off the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down.20You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl.21The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God.22The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens.23Then man goes out to his work, to his labor until evening.24How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.25There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number- living things both large and small.26There the ships go to and fro, and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.27These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time.28When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.29When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust.30When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth.31May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works-32he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke.33I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.34May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the LORD.35But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more. Praise the LORD, O my soul. Praise the LORD.
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12.3b-7, 12-13
3Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.4There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.5There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.6There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.7Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.12The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.13For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.
Gospel: John 20.19-23
19On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.21Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you."22And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit.23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the Holy Spirit’s role in uniting and empowering the Church. In the second reading from 1 Corinthians, St. Paul reminds us that while there are diverse gifts and ministries, they all come from the same Spirit. He uses the analogy of the body to emphasize that just as each part of the body has a unique function, so too does each member of the Church have a unique role to play in building up the Body of Christ. This passage encourages us to recognize and value the diversity of spiritual gifts among us, while remaining united in our shared mission.
In the Gospel, we see Jesus appearing to his disciples after the resurrection. Despite their fear and the locked doors, Jesus brings them peace and sends them out on a mission. By breathing on them and giving them the Holy Spirit, he empowers them to forgive sins and to continue his work in the world. This moment is foundational for the Church’s understanding of its mission and identity. Just as the disciples were sent out in the power of the Spirit, so too are we called to live as missionary disciples, sharing the peace and reconciliation of Christ with others.
These readings remind us that the Holy Spirit is the source of unity and diversity in the Church. The Spirit binds us together as one Body, even as it equips each of us with unique gifts and callings. In our daily lives, we are called to recognize the Spirit’s presence within us and among us. Let us ask for the grace to embrace our diverse roles, to work together in harmony, and to be open to the Spirit’s guidance. May we, like the disciples, be instruments of God’s peace and reconciliation in a world that so desperately needs it.