Daily Catholic Mass Readings for June 14, 2017
First Reading: 2 Corinthians 3.4-11
4Such confidence as this is ours through Christ before God.5Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.6He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant--not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.7Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was,8will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious?9If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness!10For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory.11And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
Psalm 99
1The LORD reigns, let the nations tremble; he sits enthroned between the cherubim, let the earth shake.2Great is the LORD in Zion; he is exalted over all the nations.3Let them praise your great and awesome name- he is holy.4The King is mighty, he loves justice- you have established equity; in Jacob you have done what is just and right.5Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his footstool; he is holy.6Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who called on his name; they called on the LORD and he answered them.7He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them.8O LORD our God, you answered them; you were to Israel a forgiving God, though you punished their misdeeds.9Exalt the LORD our God and worship at his holy mountain, for the LORD our God is holy.
Gospel: Matthew 5.17-19
17"Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.18I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.19Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter a profound dialogue between the Old Covenant and the New, as illuminated by the Spirit. The passage from 2 Corinthians reminds us that our adequacy comes from God, highlighting the contrast between the letter of the law, which brings death, and the Spirit, which imparts life. Paul emphasizes that the ministry of the Spirit surpasses the old in glory, for while the old covenant had its glory, the new covenant in Christ shines even brighter.
In the Gospel, Jesus affirms that He did not come to abolish the law but to fulfill it. He underscores the enduring nature of the law, down to the smallest detail, until all is accomplished. Jesus warns against loosening the commandments, teaching us that true greatness in the kingdom comes from practicing and upholding the law.
These readings intertwine beautifully, revealing that the law, fulfilled in Christ, is brought to life by the Spirit. The law is not merely a set of rules but a guidepost for living a life of love and grace. As we navigate our daily lives, let us seek to live not by the letter, which constrains, but by the Spirit, which liberates. In doing so, we embody the law in its fullest sense, allowing the Spirit to transform our hearts and actions. The moral lesson here is clear: a Spirit-filled life transcends mere rule-keeping, inviting us to embrace God's will with love and grace.