Daily Catholic Mass Readings for May 23, 2018
First Reading: James 4.13-17
13Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money."14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.15Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."16As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins.
Psalm 49
1Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world,2both low and high, rich and poor alike:3My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the utterance from my heart will give understanding.4I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle:5Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me-6those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?7No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him-8the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough-9that he should live on forever and not see decay.10For all can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others.11Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves.12But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish.13This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. Selah14Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them. The upright will rule over them in the morning; their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions.15But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself. Selah16Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases;17for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him.18Though while he lived he counted himself blessed- and men praise you when you prosper-19he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of life.20A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
Gospel: Mark 9.38-40
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on humility, trust in God, and the importance of not hindering the good works of others. In the first reading from James, we are reminded that our lives are fleeting—like a mist that appears and then vanishes. James warns against arrogance and presumption, urging us to recognize that all our plans and accomplishments are ultimately dependent on God’s will. He calls us to live with humility, acknowledging that true wisdom comes from submitting our desires and plans to God’s providence.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the dangers of judging or hindering others who are doing good in His name. The disciples, seeing someone outside their group casting out demons in Jesus’ name, tried to stop him. But Jesus corrects them, saying that no one who works in His name can soon speak ill of Him. This teaches us that our unity as followers of Christ is not about who is “in” or “out,” but about supporting and encouraging all who do good in His name.
These readings challenge us to examine our own attitudes and actions. Do we trust in God’s plan, or do we rely on our own strength and plans? Do we judge others who are doing good but may not belong to our group or follow our ways? Let us learn to live with humility, trusting in God’s will and supporting all who seek to serve Him. May we avoid the sin of omission—failing to do the good we know we should—and instead, may we be open to the ways God works through others, even when it’s unexpected.