Daily Catholic Mass Readings for June 4, 2018
First Reading: 2 Peter 1.1-7
1Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:2Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.3His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge;6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
Psalm 91
1He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.2I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."3Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.4He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.5You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,6nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.7A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.8You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.9If you make the Most High your dwelling- even the LORD, who is my refuge-10then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent.11For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;12they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.13You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.14"Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.15He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.16With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
Gospel: Mark 12.1-12
1He then began to speak to them in parables: "A man planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a pit for the winepress and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and went away on a journey.2At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants to collect from them some of the fruit of the vineyard.3But they seized him, beat him and sent him away empty-handed.4Then he sent another servant to them; they struck this man on the head and treated him shamefully.5He sent still another, and that one they killed. He sent many others; some of them they beat, others they killed.6"He had one left to send, a son, whom he loved. He sent him last of all, saying, 'They will respect my son.'7"But the tenants said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.'8So they took him and killed him, and threw him out of the vineyard.9"What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.10Haven't you read this scripture: "'The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone;11the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?"12Then they looked for a way to arrest him because they knew he had spoken the parable against them. But they were afraid of the crowd; so they left him and went away.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful messages about faith, rejection, and the cultivation of virtues. The first reading from 2 Peter encourages believers to grow in faith and virtue, emphasizing that through these, we become partakers of the divine nature. This letter, written in a time of persecution, urges believers to remain steadfast and cultivate qualities like knowledge, moderation, patience, piety, love, and charity.
The Gospel from Mark presents Jesus' parable of the vineyard, where the owner's servants and son are rejected and killed by the tenants. This parable serves as a critique of religious leaders who reject God's messengers. Jesus quotes a Psalm, highlighting that the rejected stone becomes the cornerstone, a testament to God's transformative power.
Both readings connect through themes of rejection and the importance of faith. While 2 Peter focuses on believers' responses to rejection through virtue, Mark's parable illustrates the consequences of rejecting God's message. In daily life, we face rejection but should respond with patience and love, cultivating virtues that reflect our faith. The moral lesson is clear: faith and virtues transform us, and rejecting God's message leads to downfall. Let us embrace our faith and virtues, trusting in God's plan.