Daily Catholic Mass Readings for June 18, 2022
First Reading: 2 Chronicles 24.17-25
17After the death of Jehoiada, the officials of Judah came and paid homage to the king, and he listened to them.18They abandoned the temple of the LORD, the God of their fathers, and worshiped Asherah poles and idols. Because of their guilt, God's anger came upon Judah and Jerusalem.19Although the LORD sent prophets to the people to bring them back to him, and though they testified against them, they would not listen.20Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest. He stood before the people and said, "This is what God says: 'Why do you disobey the LORD's commands? You will not prosper. Because you have forsaken the LORD, he has forsaken you.'"21But they plotted against him, and by order of the king they stoned him to death in the courtyard of the LORD's temple.22King Joash did not remember the kindness Zechariah's father Jehoiada had shown him but killed his son, who said as he lay dying, "May the LORD see this and call you to account."23At the turn of the year, the army of Aram marched against Joash; it invaded Judah and Jerusalem and killed all the leaders of the people. They sent all the plunder to their king in Damascus.24Although the Aramean army had come with only a few men, the LORD delivered into their hands a much larger army. Because Judah had forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers, judgment was executed on Joash.25When the Arameans withdrew, they left Joash severely wounded. His officials conspired against him for murdering the son of Jehoiada the priest, and they killed him in his bed. So he died and was buried in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.
Psalm 89
1I will sing of the LORD's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.2I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.3You said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant,4'I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.'" Selah5The heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.6For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings?7In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him.8O LORD God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you.9You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them.10You crushed Rahab like one of the slain; with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.11The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it.12You created the north and the south; Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name.13Your arm is endued with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.14Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.15Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD.16They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness.17For you are their glory and strength, and by your favor you exalt our horn.18Indeed, our shield belongs to the LORD, our king to the Holy One of Israel.19Once you spoke in a vision, to your faithful people you said: "I have bestowed strength on a warrior; I have exalted a young man from among the people.20I have found David my servant; with my sacred oil I have anointed him.21My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him.22No enemy will subject him to tribute; no wicked man will oppress him.23I will crush his foes before him and strike down his adversaries.24My faithful love will be with him, and through my name his horn will be exalted.25I will set his hand over the sea, his right hand over the rivers.26He will call out to me, 'You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior.'27I will also appoint him my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth.28I will maintain my love to him forever, and my covenant with him will never fail.29I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure.30"If his sons forsake my law and do not follow my statutes,31if they violate my decrees and fail to keep my commands,32I will punish their sin with the rod, their iniquity with flogging;33but I will not take my love from him, nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.34I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered.35Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness- and I will not lie to David-36that his line will continue forever and his throne endure before me like the sun;37it will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky." Selah38But you have rejected, you have spurned, you have been very angry with your anointed one.39You have renounced the covenant with your servant and have defiled his crown in the dust.40You have broken through all his walls and reduced his strongholds to ruins.41All who pass by have plundered him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors.42You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice.43You have turned back the edge of his sword and have not supported him in battle.44You have put an end to his splendor and cast his throne to the ground.45You have cut short the days of his youth; you have covered him with a mantle of shame. Selah46How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire?47Remember how fleeting is my life. For what futility you have created all men!48What man can live and not see death, or save himself from the power of the grave? Selah49O Lord, where is your former great love, which in your faithfulness you swore to David?50Remember, Lord, how your servant has been mocked, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations,51the taunts with which your enemies have mocked, O LORD, with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one.52Praise be to the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.
Gospel: Matthew 6.24-34
24"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the consequences of turning away from God and the peace that comes from trusting in His providence. In the first reading from 2 Chronicles, we see the tragic story of King Joash, who, after the death of the priest Jehoiada, abandoned the Lord and led Judah into sin. Despite the warnings of the prophets, Joash and the people refused to return to God, leading to devastating consequences. This story reminds us that when we forsake God, we lose the foundation of true life and stability. The death of Zechariah, Jehoiada’s son, serves as a stark reminder of the cost of rejecting God’s truth.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches us about the futility of anxiety and the importance of seeking God’s kingdom first. He uses the examples of the birds of the air and the lilies of the field to show how God provides for even the smallest creatures. Jesus invites us to trust in our heavenly Father, who knows all our needs. This teaching contrasts sharply with the greed and faithlessness of Joash and the leaders of Judah. While they sought power and wealth, Jesus calls us to seek God’s justice and His kingdom, promising that all else will be given to us as well.
These readings challenge us to examine our priorities and our faith. Like Joash, we often let worldly concerns and desires distract us from God. But Jesus assures us that true peace comes from trusting in God’s providence. Let us seek first the kingdom of God, letting go of our anxieties and doubts. May we learn from the lessons of history and the wisdom of Christ, turning our hearts back to God and living with faith and gratitude.