Daily Catholic Mass Readings for June 12, 2023
First Reading: 2 Corinthians 1.1-7
1Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God in Corinth, together with all the saints throughout Achaia:2Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.5For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.6If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer.7And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
Psalm 34
1I will extol the LORD at all times; his praise will always be on my lips.2My soul will boast in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice.3Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt his name together.4I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.5Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.6This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.7The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.8Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.9Fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing.10The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.11Come, my children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD.12Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days,13keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.14Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.15The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry;16the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.17The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.18The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.19A righteous man may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;20he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.21Evil will slay the wicked; the foes of the righteous will be condemned.22The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him.
Gospel: Matthew 5.1-12
1Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him,2and he began to teach them saying:3"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.5Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.6Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.7Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.8Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.9Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.10Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11"Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful reflections on suffering, consolation, and the call to live as children of God. The second reading from 2 Corinthians reminds us that our struggles, though real, are not without purpose or hope. Paul writes that just as Christ’s Passion abounds in us, so too does His consolation. This passage reassures us that our tribulations are not isolated but are part of a larger story of redemption. Through our endurance, we are able to offer comfort to others, just as God has consoled us. This is not a promise of ease but a promise of accompaniment—God walks with us in our trials and transforms them into opportunities for grace.
The Gospel from Matthew takes us to the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus proclaims the Beatitudes. These blessings reveal the countercultural nature of the Kingdom of God. Jesus teaches that true happiness is not found in power or wealth but in humility, mercy, and a thirst for justice. The Beatitudes are not just descriptions of the blessed; they are a call to live in a way that reflects the heart of God. Those who are meek, who mourn, and who hunger for justice are not pitied by Jesus—they are praised. This is a radical vision of life, one that upends the world’s standards and invites us to embrace a path of love and compassion, even in the face of persecution.
These readings remind us that our faith is not a shield from suffering but a way to navigate it with hope. Like Paul, we are called to find consolation in Christ and to share that consolation with others. Like the Beatitudes, we are invited to live in a way that reflects the values of the Kingdom, even when it is difficult. In our daily lives, this means trusting in God’s plan, embracing the crosses we carry, and striving to be peacemakers and people of mercy. Let us allow these words to transform us, that we might find joy in living as children of God, even in the midst of challenges.