Daily Catholic Mass Readings for June 26, 2023
First Reading: Genesis 12.1-9
1The LORD had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you.2"I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.3I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."4So Abram left, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran.5He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.6Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.7The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.8From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.9Then Abram set out and continued toward the Negev.
Psalm 33
1Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.2Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.3Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.4For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.5The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.6By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.7He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.8Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him.9For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.10The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.11But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.13From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind;14from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth-15he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.16No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.17A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.18But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,19to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.20We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.21In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.22May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.
Gospel: Matthew 7.1-5
1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged.2For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.3"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?4How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?5You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound moments of faith and reflection. The first reading from Genesis tells the story of Abram, who, at the age of seventy-five, is called by God to leave his home, family, and everything familiar. This call is a testament to Abram's trust in God's promise to make him the father of a great nation. The passage highlights Abram's obedience and faith as he journeys to an unknown land, building altars along the way to honor God. This act of faith sets the stage for the covenant between God and His people, showcasing trust and obedience as foundational virtues.
The Gospel reading from Matthew shifts our focus to Jesus' teachings on judgment and self-reflection. Jesus warns against judging others, emphasizing that we will be judged by the same standards we use on others. He humorously illustrates this with the image of trying to remove a splinter from someone else's eye while having a plank in one's own. This teaching underscores the importance of humility and self-awareness, urging us to examine our own lives before criticizing others.
These readings, though separated by time, are connected by themes of faith and self-awareness. Abram's journey exemplifies trusting in God's plan, while Jesus' teaching calls us to introspection and humility. Together, they remind us to embrace faith with obedience and to approach others with compassion rather than judgment. In our daily lives, this means trusting God's plan and humbly examining our own actions before evaluating others. The moral lesson here is clear: true faith is accompanied by humility and self-reflection, leading us to live with integrity and grace.