Daily Catholic Mass Readings for June 27, 2019
First Reading: Genesis 16.6b-12, 15-16
6"Your servant is in your hands," Abram said. "Do with her whatever you think best." Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her.7The angel of the LORD found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur.8And he said, "Hagar, servant of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?I'm running away from my mistress Sarai," she answered.9Then the angel of the LORD told her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her."10The angel added, "I will so increase your descendants that they will be too numerous to count."11The angel of the LORD also said to her: "You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard of your misery.12He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers."15So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne.16Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael.
Psalm 106
1Praise the LORD. Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.2Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the LORD or fully declare his praise?3Blessed are they who maintain justice, who constantly do what is right.4Remember me, O LORD, when you show favor to your people, come to my aid when you save them,5that I may enjoy the prosperity of your chosen ones, that I may share in the joy of your nation and join your inheritance in giving praise.6We have sinned, even as our fathers did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.7When our fathers were in Egypt, they gave no thought to your miracles; they did not remember your many kindnesses, and they rebelled by the sea, the Red Sea.8Yet he saved them for his name's sake, to make his mighty power known.9He rebuked the Red Sea, and it dried up; he led them through the depths as through a desert.10He saved them from the hand of the foe; from the hand of the enemy he redeemed them.11The waters covered their adversaries; not one of them survived.12Then they believed his promises and sang his praise.13But they soon forgot what he had done and did not wait for his counsel.14In the desert they gave in to their craving; in the wasteland they put God to the test.15So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them.16In the camp they grew envious of Moses and of Aaron, who was consecrated to the LORD.17The earth opened up and swallowed Dathan; it buried the company of Abiram.18Fire blazed among their followers; a flame consumed the wicked.19At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped an idol cast from metal.20They exchanged their Glory for an image of a bull, which eats grass.21They forgot the God who saved them, who had done great things in Egypt,22miracles in the land of Ham and awesome deeds by the Red Sea.23So he said he would destroy them- had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him to keep his wrath from destroying them.24Then they despised the pleasant land; they did not believe his promise.25They grumbled in their tents and did not obey the LORD.26So he swore to them with uplifted hand that he would make them fall in the desert,27make their descendants fall among the nations and scatter them throughout the lands.28They yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor and ate sacrifices offered to lifeless gods;29they provoked the LORD to anger by their wicked deeds, and a plague broke out among them.30But Phinehas stood up and intervened, and the plague was checked.31This was credited to him as righteousness for endless generations to come.32By the waters of Meribah they angered the LORD, and trouble came to Moses because of them;33for they rebelled against the Spirit of God, and rash words came from Moses' lips.34They did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded them,35but they mingled with the nations and adopted their customs.36They worshiped their idols, which became a snare to them.37They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons.38They shed innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters, whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was desecrated by their blood.39They defiled themselves by what they did; by their deeds they prostituted themselves.40Therefore the LORD was angry with his people and abhorred his inheritance.41He handed them over to the nations, and their foes ruled over them.42Their enemies oppressed them and subjected them to their power.43Many times he delivered them, but they were bent on rebellion and they wasted away in their sin.44But he took note of their distress when he heard their cry;45for their sake he remembered his covenant and out of his great love he relented.46He caused them to be pitied by all who held them captive.47Save us, O LORD our God, and gather us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.48Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Let all the people say, "Amen!" Praise the LORD.
Gospel: Matthew 7.21-29
21"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.22Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?'23Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!'24"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."28When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching,29because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two distinct yet interconnected narratives that guide us in understanding the essence of faith and action. The first reading from Genesis tells the story of Hagar, Sarai's handmaid, who, upon becoming pregnant with Abram's child, faces mistreatment and flees. An angel appears to her, promising numerous descendants and instructing her to return to Sarai. Hagar's obedience and trust in God's promise exemplify faith in action. The second reading from Matthew's Gospel features Jesus emphasizing that entering the kingdom of heaven requires more than mere lip service. He teaches that true faith is demonstrated through deeds, using the parable of the wise and foolish builders to illustrate the importance of a strong spiritual foundation.
Both readings highlight the theme of trust and action. In Genesis, Hagar's trust in God's promise leads her to act faithfully, returning to Sarai despite her hardships. In Matthew, Jesus underscores that faith must be lived out through obedience to God's will, not just proclaimed verbally. The connection between the two lies in the understanding that genuine faith is not passive but active, requiring us to trust in God's promises and act accordingly.
Applying this to our daily lives, we are reminded that faith should not be confined to words but should manifest in our actions. Like Hagar, we must trust in God's providence, even in challenging circumstances, and like the wise builder, we must build our lives on the solid rock of God's teachings. This ensures that our spiritual foundation can withstand life's storms, guiding us to live out our faith authentically and wholeheartedly.
In conclusion, today's readings teach us that true faith is not about mere profession but about living out God's will. By trusting in His promises and acting faithfully, we build a strong spiritual foundation, reflecting the wisdom of the house built on rock. Let us strive to be doers of the word, ensuring our actions align with our faith, thus embodying the essence of living faith.