Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 4, 2020
First Reading: Jeremiah 30.1-2, 12-15, 18-22
1This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD:2"This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Write in a book all the words I have spoken to you.12"This is what the LORD says: "'Your wound is incurable, your injury beyond healing.13There is no one to plead your cause, no remedy for your sore, no healing for you.14All your allies have forgotten you; they care nothing for you. I have struck you as an enemy would and punished you as would the cruel, because your guilt is so great and your sins so many.15Why do you cry out over your wound, your pain that has no cure? Because of your great guilt and many sins I have done these things to you.18"This is what the LORD says: "'I will restore the fortunes of Jacob's tents and have compassion on his dwellings; the city will be rebuilt on her ruins, and the palace will stand in its proper place.19From them will come songs of thanksgiving and the sound of rejoicing. I will add to their numbers, and they will not be decreased; I will bring them honor, and they will not be disdained.20Their children will be as in days of old, and their community will be established before me; I will punish all who oppress them.21Their leader will be one of their own; their ruler will arise from among them. I will bring him near and he will come close to me, for who is he who will devote himself to be close to me?' declares the LORD.22"'So you will be my people, and I will be your God.'"
Psalm 102
1Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come to you.2Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly.3For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers.4My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food.5Because of my loud groaning I am reduced to skin and bones.6I am like a desert owl, like an owl among the ruins.7I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof.8All day long my enemies taunt me; those who rail against me use my name as a curse.9For I eat ashes as my food and mingle my drink with tears10because of your great wrath, for you have taken me up and thrown me aside.11My days are like the evening shadow; I wither away like grass.12But you, O LORD, sit enthroned forever; your renown endures through all generations.13You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come.14For her stones are dear to your servants; her very dust moves them to pity.15The nations will fear the name of the LORD, all the kings of the earth will revere your glory.16For the LORD will rebuild Zion and appear in his glory.17He will respond to the prayer of the destitute; he will not despise their plea.18Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the LORD:19"The LORD looked down from his sanctuary on high, from heaven he viewed the earth,20to hear the groans of the prisoners and release those condemned to death."21So the name of the LORD will be declared in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem22when the peoples and the kingdoms assemble to worship the LORD.23In the course of my life he broke my strength; he cut short my days.24So I said: "Do not take me away, O my God, in the midst of my days; your years go on through all generations.25In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.26They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded.27But you remain the same, and your years will never end.28The children of your servants will live in your presence; their descendants will be established before you."
Gospel: Matthew 15.1-2, 10-14
1Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked,2"Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!"10Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand.11What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'"12Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?"13He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.14Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the relationship between God’s healing grace and our own need for inner transformation. In the first reading from Jeremiah, we hear a message of both judgment and hope. The prophet speaks of Israel’s deep wounds and incurable fractures, caused by their stubborn sins and refusal to turn back to God. Yet, even in the midst of this suffering, God promises restoration: the tabernacles of Jacob will be rebuilt, the people will be multiplied, and their ruler will come from among them. This is a testament to God’s faithfulness and mercy, even when His people have wandered far from Him.
In the Gospel, Jesus challenges the Pharisees and his disciples to rethink what truly matters in living a holy life. The Pharisees are concerned with outward traditions, like washing hands before eating, but Jesus points out that it is not what enters the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the heart. He emphasizes that true purity comes from within, and that outward observances are meaningless if they do not reflect a transformed heart. This teaching is a call to examine our own lives: are we more focused on appearances and rules, or are we allowing God to work deeply within us, changing our hearts and minds?
These readings are connected by the theme of healing and transformation. Jeremiah’s message of restoration and Jesus’ teaching on inner purity remind us that God is always at work to heal and renew us. However, this healing requires us to acknowledge our brokenness and to turn to Him with humble and open hearts. In our daily lives, we are often tempted to focus on external fixes or superficial changes, but the readings today call us to look deeper. Let us ask ourselves: Where am I holding onto sin or stubbornness? How can I allow God to heal and transform me from within? By trusting in His mercy and surrendering to His will, we can experience the restoration and renewal that only He can provide.