Daily Catholic Mass Readings for July 30, 2022
First Reading: Jeremiah 26.11-16, 24
11Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, "This man should be sentenced to death because he has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!"12Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and all the people: "The LORD sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the things you have heard.13Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the LORD your God. Then the LORD will relent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you.14As for me, I am in your hands; do with me whatever you think is good and right.15Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the LORD has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing."16Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, "This man should not be sentenced to death! He has spoken to us in the name of the LORD our God."24Furthermore, Ahikam son of Shaphan supported Jeremiah, and so he was not handed over to the people to be put to death.
Psalm 69
1Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck.2I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold. I have come into the deep waters; the floods engulf me.3I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.4Those who hate me without reason outnumber the hairs of my head; many are my enemies without cause, those who seek to destroy me. I am forced to restore what I did not steal.5You know my folly, O God; my guilt is not hidden from you.6May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me, O Lord, the LORD Almighty; may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me, O God of Israel.7For I endure scorn for your sake, and shame covers my face.8I am a stranger to my brothers, an alien to my own mother's sons;9for zeal for your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult you fall on me.10When I weep and fast, I must endure scorn;11when I put on sackcloth, people make sport of me.12Those who sit at the gate mock me, and I am the song of the drunkards.13But I pray to you, O LORD, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation.14Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters.15Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up or the pit close its mouth over me.16Answer me, O LORD, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me.17Do not hide your face from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble.18Come near and rescue me; redeem me because of my foes.19You know how I am scorned, disgraced and shamed; all my enemies are before you.20Scorn has broken my heart and has left me helpless; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found none.21They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.22May the table set before them become a snare; may it become retribution and a trap.23May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever.24Pour out your wrath on them; let your fierce anger overtake them.25May their place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in their tents.26For they persecute those you wound and talk about the pain of those you hurt.27Charge them with crime upon crime; do not let them share in your salvation.28May they be blotted out of the book of life and not be listed with the righteous.29I am in pain and distress; may your salvation, O God, protect me.30I will praise God's name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.31This will please the LORD more than an ox, more than a bull with its horns and hoofs.32The poor will see and be glad- you who seek God, may your hearts live!33The LORD hears the needy and does not despise his captive people.34Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and all that move in them,35for God will save Zion and rebuild the cities of Judah. Then people will settle there and possess it;36the children of his servants will inherit it, and those who love his name will dwell there.
Gospel: Matthew 14.1-12
1At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus,2and he said to his attendants, "This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him."3Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife,4for John had been saying to him: "It is not lawful for you to have her."5Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered him a prophet.6On Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for them and pleased Herod so much7that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked.8Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist."9The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted10and had John beheaded in the prison.11His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother.12John's disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.
Sermon
The readings today present us with powerful lessons about courage, integrity, and the consequences of our choices. In the first reading from Jeremiah, the prophet stands before the leaders and people of Jerusalem, accused of treason for speaking God’s truth. Jeremiah’s courage shines through as he declares that he is in their hands but warns them that killing him would bring innocent blood upon themselves. The people, recognizing the authenticity of his message, spare his life, thanks in part to the intervention of Ahikam. This passage reminds us that speaking the truth can be dangerous, but it is also a call to trust in God’s providence and to act with integrity.
In the Gospel, we see a stark contrast as Herod, driven by fear and pride, ultimately gives in to the whims of his stepdaughter and beheads John the Baptist. Herod’s actions are a tragic example of what happens when we allow sin and selfishness to guide our decisions. John, like Jeremiah, had spoken truth to power, calling Herod to repentance for his immoral union with Herodias. His martyrdom underscores the cost of faithfully witnessing to God’s truth, but it also reveals the enduring power of integrity and righteousness in the face of evil.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own lives. Are we willing to stand firm in our faith, even when it is uncomfortable or risky? Do we allow fear or pride to dictate our choices, or do we seek to follow God’s will, even when it is difficult? The examples of Jeremiah and John the Baptist remind us that living as disciples of Christ requires courage, humility, and a commitment to truth. Let us pray for the grace to remain faithful in the face of challenges and to trust in God’s plan, even when the path ahead seems uncertain.