Daily Catholic Mass Readings for June 25, 2023
First Reading: Jeremiah 20.10-13
10I hear many whispering, "Terror on every side! Report him! Let's report him!" All my friends are waiting for me to slip, saying, "Perhaps he will be deceived; then we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him."11But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fail and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten.12O LORD Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance upon them, for to you I have committed my cause.13Sing to the LORD! Give praise to the LORD! He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked.
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.
Second Reading: Romans 5.12-15
12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned--13for before the law was given, sin was in the world. But sin is not taken into account when there is no law.14Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come.15But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!
Gospel: Matthew 10.26-33
26"So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.31So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.32"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven.33But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.
Sermon
In today's readings, we are invited to reflect on trust, grace, and courage in the face of adversity. The prophet Jeremiah, despite facing persecution and betrayal, places his trust in God, who he knows is his strength. Jeremiah's situation reminds us that even in the darkest moments, God is ever-present, offering us the courage to persevere.
In the second reading, St. Paul explains the profound impact of sin and redemption. Through Adam, sin entered the world, leading to death, but through Christ, grace abounds. This passage highlights the transformative power of God's grace, which surpasses the effects of sin. It encourages us to trust in God's plan of salvation and to live with hope, knowing that His grace is always available to us.
In the Gospel, Jesus instructs His disciples not to fear persecution or death, for they are valued by God. He calls them to acknowledge Him publicly, promising His own acknowledgment before the Father. This teaching challenges us to be bold in our faith, trusting in God's providence and care. Like the sparrows, we are known and loved by God, and we should not fear, for we are worth more than many sparrows.
These readings remind us to trust in God's presence and grace, especially in difficult times. May we, like Jeremiah, place our trust in the Lord, and may we, like the disciples, courageously acknowledge Jesus in our lives. Let us live with hope and faith, knowing that God's grace is always sufficient.