Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 23, 2020
First Reading: Jeremiah 2.1-3, 7-8, 12-13
1The word of the LORD came to me:2"Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem: "'I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert, through a land not sown.3Israel was holy to the LORD, the firstfruits of his harvest; all who devoured her were held guilty, and disaster overtook them,'" declares the LORD.7I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable.8The priests did not ask, 'Where is the LORD?' Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols.12Be appalled at this, O heavens, and shudder with great horror," declares the LORD.13"My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.
Psalm 36
1An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes.2For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin.3The words of his mouth are wicked and deceitful; he has ceased to be wise and to do good.4Even on his bed he plots evil; he commits himself to a sinful course and does not reject what is wrong.5Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.6Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O LORD, you preserve both man and beast.7How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings.8They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights.9For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.10Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart.11May the foot of the proud not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked drive me away.12See how the evildoers lie fallen- thrown down, not able to rise!
Gospel: Matthew 13.10-17
10The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?"11He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.12Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.13This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.14In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: "'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.15For this people's heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.'16But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.17For I tell you the truth, many prophets and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through themes of faithfulness and spiritual understanding. The first reading from Jeremiah paints a vivid picture of Israel's unfaithfulness to God. Once a devoted people who followed God into the desert, they later turned to idols, defiling the land and forsaking the living water. Jeremiah's lament highlights the consequences of spiritual blindness, where the people's hearts grew hardened, leading them to dig broken cisterns that could not hold the true water of life.
The Gospel from Matthew shifts our focus to Jesus explaining the purpose of parables to His disciples. He reveals that while some are granted the gift of understanding the mysteries of the kingdom, others remain in darkness. This divide is not arbitrary but stems from the condition of the heart. Jesus quotes Isaiah, emphasizing that some see but do not perceive, hear but do not understand, their hearts having grown fat and their ears heavy. Yet, the disciples are blessed for their openness to see and hear, a gift many prophets and righteous individuals longed for but did not receive.
Both readings converge on the themes of faith as a gift and the perils of spiritual complacency. Jeremiah warns against turning away from God, while Matthew underscores the importance of receptivity to God's word. In our daily lives, we are called to cherish the gift of faith, avoiding modern idols that distract us from the living water. Let us remain vigilant, grateful for the spiritual sight and hearing we have, and use these gifts to live in accordance with God's will. May we not let our hearts grow fat, but instead stay open to God's grace, continually seeking to see, hear, and understand.