Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 9, 2021
First Reading: Deuteronomy 10.12-22
12And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,13and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?14To the LORD your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it.15Yet the LORD set his affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today.16Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer.17For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality and accepts no bribes.18He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing.19And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.20Fear the LORD your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name.21He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.22Your forefathers who went down into Egypt were seventy in all, and now the LORD your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.
Psalm 147
1Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!2The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel.3He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.4He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.5Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.6The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.7Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp.8He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills.9He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call.10His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man;11the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.12Extol the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion,13for he strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you.14He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.15He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.16He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes.17He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast?18He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.19He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel.20He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. Praise the LORD.
Gospel: Matthew 17.22-27
22When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.23They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life." And the disciples were filled with grief.24After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?"25"Yes, he does," he replied. When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. "What do you think, Simon?" he asked. "From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes--from their own sons or from others?"26"From others," Peter answered.27"Then the sons are exempt," Jesus said to him. "But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful lessons about living a life grounded in faith, trust, and service. The first reading from Deuteronomy reminds us of God’s fundamental requirements: to fear Him, walk in His ways, love Him, and serve Him with our whole heart and soul. This passage emphasizes that our relationship with God is not about outward rituals alone but about the orientation of our hearts. It also highlights God’s special care for the vulnerable—the orphan, the widow, and the sojourner—calling us to love and compassion toward all, just as God has loved us. The reading concludes with a reminder of God’s faithfulness and the miraculous way He has multiplied His people, urging us to remain faithful and trust in His providence.
The Gospel from Matthew deepens this message of trust and humility. Jesus predicts His own suffering and death, which fills the disciples with sorrow. Yet, in the same passage, Jesus teaches Peter a lesson about freedom and trust in God’s provision. When faced with the question of paying the temple tax, Jesus uses a miraculous sign—the coin in the fish’s mouth—to demonstrate that as children of God, we are free from earthly obligations. However, He also chooses to pay the tax to avoid causing scandal, showing us the importance of living in harmony with others and not stumbling them in our faith. This teaches us to trust in God’s plan while also being mindful of our responsibilities and relationships with others.
These readings invite us to reflect on how we live out our faith in daily life. Like the Israelites, we are called to love and serve God wholeheartedly, caring for those on the margins. Like Peter, we are reminded that our ultimate freedom comes from being children of God, but this freedom is not an excuse to disregard our duties or harm others. Instead, it calls us to live with humility, trust, and generosity. Let us ask ourselves: Are we orienting our hearts toward God? Are we trusting in His providence, even when the path seems uncertain? Are we serving others with love and compassion? May we, like Jesus, embrace both the freedom and the responsibilities of being His disciples, living in a way that reflects His love and light to the world.