Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 26, 2021

First Reading: Sirach 44.1, 8, 10-15

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Psalm 132

¹O LORD, remember David and all the hardships he endured.²He swore an oath to the LORD and made a vow to the Mighty One of Jacob:³"I will not enter my house or go to my bed-⁴I will allow no sleep to my eyes, no slumber to my eyelids,⁵till I find a place for the LORD, a dwelling for the Mighty One of Jacob."⁶We heard it in Ephrathah, we came upon it in the fields of Jaar:⁷"Let us go to his dwelling place; let us worship at his footstool-⁸arise, O LORD, and come to your resting place, you and the ark of your might.⁹May your priests be clothed with righteousness; may your saints sing for joy."¹⁰For the sake of David your servant, do not reject your anointed one.¹¹The LORD swore an oath to David, a sure oath that he will not revoke: "One of your own descendants I will place on your throne-¹²if your sons keep my covenant and the statutes I teach them, then their sons will sit on your throne for ever and ever."¹³For the LORD has chosen Zion, he has desired it for his dwelling:¹⁴"This is my resting place for ever and ever; here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it-¹⁵I will bless her with abundant provisions; her poor will I satisfy with food.¹⁶I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints will ever sing for joy.¹⁷"Here I will make a horn grow for David and set up a lamp for my anointed one.¹⁸I will clothe his enemies with shame, but the crown on his head will be resplendent."

Gospel: Matthew 13.16-17

Matthew

Chapter 13

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

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.