Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 22, 2017
First Reading: Song of Solomon 3.1-4a or 2 Corinthians 5.14-17
1All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves; I looked for him but did not find him.2I will get up now and go about the city, through its streets and squares; I will search for the one my heart loves. So I looked for him but did not find him.3The watchmen found me as they made their rounds in the city. "Have you seen the one my heart loves?"4Scarcely had I passed them when I found the one my heart loves. I held him and would not let him go till I had brought him to my mother's house, to the room of the one who conceived me.
14For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Psalm 63
1O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.2I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.3Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.4I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.5My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.6On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.7Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.8My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.9They who seek my life will be destroyed; they will go down to the depths of the earth.10They will be given over to the sword and become food for jackals.11But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by God's name will praise him, while the mouths of liars will be silenced.
Sermon
The passage from Song of Solomon 3:1-4a presents a vivid and intimate dialogue between a bride and her beloved, set against the backdrop of a nighttime search through the city. The bride, driven by deep longing, seeks her beloved relentlessly, questioning the city guards until she finally finds him. Her determination is unwavering, and once reunited, she vows to bring him into the heart of her family home, symbolizing a deep desire for union and connection.
This poetic text is part of the Song of Solomon, a book celebrated for its rich imagery and allegorical interpretations. Often seen as an allegory of God's love for humanity or the Church's relationship with Christ, the passage underscores the theme of persistent and passionate pursuit. The bride's journey mirrors the spiritual quest for divine connection, emphasizing perseverance and intimacy in one's faith journey.
In our daily lives, this passage encourages us to embrace a similar perseverance in our spiritual pursuits. Just as the bride does not falter in her search, we are called to remain steadfast in our faith, even when challenges arise. The transformative power of such a deep union with God invites us to bring His presence into the core of our lives, much like the bride brings her beloved into her mother's house. This passage reminds us that our spiritual journey is one of relentless seeking and profound transformation, leading us closer to the divine.