Daily Readings - Mon Jul 26 2021

The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of gratitude, legacy, and the call to live virtuously. In the first reading from Sirach, we are reminded of the importance of honoring our ancestors and the enduring impact of their virtuous lives. The text praises those who have left behind a name worthy of remembrance, not for their power or wealth, but for their mercy, piety, and fidelity to God’s covenants. Their good deeds, it says, continue to bear fruit in their descendants, and their memory lives on as a blessing for future generations. This passage emphasizes the value of living a life that transcends our own time, leaving behind a spiritual inheritance that endures. The Gospel reading from Matthew shifts our focus to the present moment and the unique blessings we have received. Jesus tells his disciples that they are blessed because they see and hear what many prophets and righteous people longed to experience but did not. This is not a boast but a reminder of the grace we have been given to know and follow Christ. The prophets of old looked forward to the day when God’s kingdom would be revealed, and now, in Jesus, that kingdom is present among us. This passage calls us to humility and gratitude, recognizing that we are part of a larger story of God’s salvation. Together, these readings encourage us to live with a sense of stewardship and responsibility. We are heirs of a rich spiritual legacy, and we are called to honor those who have gone before us by living out our faith with integrity. At the same time, we are blessed to be living in a time when we can see and experience the fulfillment of God’s promises in Christ. Let us not take this lightly. May we strive to live in such a way that our lives, like those of our ancestors, bear fruit for generations to come. Let us use the gifts we have been given to serve others and to share the Good News with a world in need. In doing so, we honor the past, live fully in the present, and hope for a future filled with God’s grace.