Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 4, 2017
First Reading: Leviticus 23.1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37
1The LORD said to Moses,4"'These are the LORD's appointed feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times:5The LORD's Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month.6On the fifteenth day of that month the LORD's Feast of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast.7On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.8For seven days present an offering made to the LORD by fire. And on the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.'"9The LORD said to Moses,10"Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter the land I am going to give you and you reap its harvest, bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest.11He is to wave the sheaf before the LORD so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave it on the day after the Sabbath.15"'From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks.16Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the LORD.27"The tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. Hold a sacred assembly and deny yourselves, and present an offering made to the LORD by fire.34"Say to the Israelites: 'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the LORD's Feast of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days.35The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work.36For seven days present offerings made to the LORD by fire, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present an offering made to the LORD by fire. It is the closing assembly; do no regular work.37("'These are the LORD's appointed feasts, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing offerings made to the LORD by fire-the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings required for each day.
Psalm 81
1Sing for joy to God our strength; shout aloud to the God of Jacob!2Begin the music, strike the tambourine, play the melodious harp and lyre.3Sound the ram's horn at the New Moon, and when the moon is full, on the day of our Feast;4this is a decree for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob.5He established it as a statute for Joseph when he went out against Egypt, where we heard a language we did not understand.6He says, "I removed the burden from their shoulders; their hands were set free from the basket.7In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you out of a thundercloud; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah8"Hear, O my people, and I will warn you- if you would but listen to me, O Israel!9You shall have no foreign god among you; you shall not bow down to an alien god.10I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of Egypt. Open wide your mouth and I will fill it.11"But my people would not listen to me; Israel would not submit to me.12So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.13"If my people would but listen to me, if Israel would follow my ways,14how quickly would I subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes!15Those who hate the LORD would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever.16But you would be fed with the finest of wheat; with honey from the rock I would satisfy you."
Gospel: Matthew 13.54-58
54Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. "Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?" they asked.55"Isn't this the carpenter's son? Isn't his mother's name Mary, and aren't his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas?56Aren't all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?"57And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor."58And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through sacred rituals and a poignant moment of rejection, inviting us to reflect on our relationship with the divine and our communities. The first reading from Leviticus details the feasts of the Lord, each a testament to Israel's covenant with God. These feasts were not mere events but communal acts of remembrance and celebration, grounding the people in their history and faith. They were times to pause, reflect, and reconnect with God's presence in their lives.
In the Gospel, we find Jesus in His hometown, where His wisdom and miracles amaze yet also offend. The familiarity of His presence leads to skepticism, a stark contrast to the sacred gatherings in Leviticus. Here, the sacred is overlooked because it is too familiar, highlighting a human tendency to undervalue what is closest to us. Jesus' experience reminds us that faith often falters when the divine is clothed in the ordinary.
As we reflect on these readings, let us consider how we perceive the sacred in our lives. Do we, like the people of Nazareth, allow familiarity to blind us to God's presence? Or do we, like the Israelites, embrace moments of communal reflection and celebration? Let us cultivate faith that sees beyond the ordinary, recognizing the divine in our midst. May we approach each day with openness, allowing God's presence to transform our lives, even in the most familiar of places.