Daily Catholic Mass Readings for June 23, 2024
First Reading: Job 38.1-4, 8-11
1Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said:2"Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?3Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.4"Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand.8"Who shut up the sea behind doors when it burst forth from the womb,9when I made the clouds its garment and wrapped it in thick darkness,10when I fixed limits for it and set its doors and bars in place,11when I said, 'This far you may come and no farther; here is where your proud waves halt'?
Psalm 107
1Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.2Let the redeemed of the LORD say this- those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,3those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south.4Some wandered in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle.5They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away.6Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.7He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle.8Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men,9for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.10Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains,11for they had rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High.12So he subjected them to bitter labor; they stumbled, and there was no one to help.13Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.14He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains.15Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men,16for he breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.17Some became fools through their rebellious ways and suffered affliction because of their iniquities.18They loathed all food and drew near the gates of death.19Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.20He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave.21Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men.22Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy.23Others went out on the sea in ships; they were merchants on the mighty waters.24They saw the works of the LORD, his wonderful deeds in the deep.25For he spoke and stirred up a tempest that lifted high the waves.26They mounted up to the heavens and went down to the depths; in their peril their courage melted away.27They reeled and staggered like drunken men; they were at their wits' end.28Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress.29He stilled the storm to a whisper; the waves of the sea were hushed.30They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven.31Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men.32Let them exalt him in the assembly of the people and praise him in the council of the elders.33He turned rivers into a desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground,34and fruitful land into a salt waste, because of the wickedness of those who lived there.35He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs;36there he brought the hungry to live, and they founded a city where they could settle.37They sowed fields and planted vineyards that yielded a fruitful harvest;38he blessed them, and their numbers greatly increased, and he did not let their herds diminish.39Then their numbers decreased, and they were humbled by oppression, calamity and sorrow;40he who pours contempt on nobles made them wander in a trackless waste.41But he lifted the needy out of their affliction and increased their families like flocks.42The upright see and rejoice, but all the wicked shut their mouths.43Whoever is wise, let him heed these things and consider the great love of the LORD.
Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5.14-17
14For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.15And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.16So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer.17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Gospel: Mark 4.35-41
35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side."36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.37A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.40He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"41They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter powerful themes of God's sovereignty, transformation, and faith. The first reading from Job depicts God speaking from a whirlwind, challenging Job's understanding of creation. God's questions about the foundations of the earth and the sea emphasize His divine wisdom and power, reminding us of the awe-inspiring nature of creation. This passage invites us to reflect on our place within the grandeur of God's universe.
The second reading from 2 Corinthians shifts our focus to the transformative power of Christ's love. Paul writes that Christ's death and resurrection have redefined our existence, urging us to live not for ourselves but for Him. This passage calls us to embrace our new identity in Christ, letting go of the old and embracing the new life He offers. It reminds us that our lives should be lived with purpose, directed by the love of Christ.
In the Gospel, Mark recounts the miracle of Jesus calming the storm. As the disciples face a turbulent sea, Jesus demonstrates His authority over nature, teaching them about faith and trust in God's presence. This story speaks to our own experiences of turmoil, reminding us that even in the midst of chaos, God is with us, offering peace and calm. It challenges us to deepen our faith and trust in His providence.
These readings together invite us to trust in God's power and presence, to embrace the transformation Christ brings, and to live with faith and purpose. May we, like the disciples, turn to Jesus in our storms, and may we, like Paul, live as new creations, guided by the love of Christ.