Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 8, 2023
First Reading: Numbers 12.1-13
1Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite.2"Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?" they asked. "Hasn't he also spoken through us?" And the LORD heard this.3(Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)4At once the LORD said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, "Come out to the Tent of Meeting, all three of you." So the three of them came out.5Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the Tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When both of them stepped forward,6he said, "Listen to my words: "When a prophet of the LORD is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams.7But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house.8With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?"9The anger of the LORD burned against them, and he left them.10When the cloud lifted from above the Tent, there stood Miriam-leprous, like snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had leprosy;11and he said to Moses, "Please, my lord, do not hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed.12Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother's womb with its flesh half eaten away."13So Moses cried out to the LORD, "O God, please heal her!"
Psalm 51
1Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.2Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.3For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.4Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.5Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.6Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.7Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.8Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.9Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.10Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.11Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.12Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.13Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.14Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.15O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.16You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.18In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.19Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Gospel: Matthew 15.1-2, 10-14
1Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked,2"Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!"10Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen and understand.11What goes into a man's mouth does not make him 'unclean,' but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him 'unclean.'"12Then the disciples came to him and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?"13He replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.14Leave them; they are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two distinct yet interconnected narratives that invite us to reflect on leadership, humility, and the true nature of purity. The first reading from Numbers recounts the story of Miriam and Aaron challenging Moses’ authority, driven by jealousy over his marriage to an Ethiopian woman. God intervenes, affirming Moses’ unique role and punishing Miriam with leprosy for her envy. This story highlights the importance of trusting in God’s chosen leaders and avoiding the pitfalls of envy.
In the Gospel, Matthew presents Jesus being questioned by Pharisees about his disciples’ disregard for traditional handwashing before eating. Jesus responds by teaching that true defilement comes not from what enters the mouth, but from what comes out of it. He criticizes the Pharisees for their focus on external rituals over inner purity, emphasizing the blindness of those who lead others without spiritual insight.
Both readings remind us of the need for inner integrity. In Numbers, it is about recognizing and respecting God’s appointed leaders, while in Matthew, it is about the heart’s condition. These lessons apply to our daily lives by urging us to focus on our own actions and words rather than judging others. The moral here is clear: cultivate humility, avoid envy, and ensure our hearts are pure. Let us strive to embody these virtues, trusting in God’s plan and focusing on our inner transformation.