Daily Readings - Sun Jul 14 2024

¹²Then Amaziah said to Amos, "Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there.¹³Don't prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king's sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom."¹⁴Amos answered Amaziah, "I was neither a prophet nor a prophet's son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees.¹⁵But the LORD took me from tending the flock and said to me, 'Go, prophesy to my people Israel.'

Ephesians

Chapter 1

³Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.⁴For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love⁵he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--⁶to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.⁷In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace⁸that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.⁹And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ,¹⁰to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment--to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.

Mark

Chapter 6

⁷Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil spirits.⁸These were his instructions: "Take nothing for the journey except a staff--no bread, no bag, no money in your belts.⁹Wear sandals but not an extra tunic.¹⁰Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town.¹¹And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them."¹²They went out and preached that people should repent.¹³They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we encounter powerful themes of divine calling, trust in God’s providence, and the mission to share the Good News. The first reading from Amos illustrates the prophet’s unwavering obedience to God’s call despite opposition. Amos, a humble herdsman, is chosen by God to deliver a message to His people, emphasizing that our worth and mission come from God, not from our own merits. The second reading from Ephesians reminds us of our adoption as God’s children and the abundant grace we’ve received through Christ. It highlights that our lives are part of a larger divine plan to bring all things together in Him. In the Gospel, Mark shows Jesus sending out the apostles with minimal provisions, teaching them to rely on divine providence and to boldly proclaim the Kingdom of God. These readings are deeply connected, as they all point to the universal call to mission and trust in God’s plan. Amos’s obedience, the Ephesians’ adoption, and the apostles’ mission all illustrate that our lives are not our own but are part of God’s greater plan. Each reading encourages us to embrace our role in this plan with faith and courage. In our daily lives, these readings call us to trust in God’s providence and to be bold in sharing the Gospel. Whether in our families, workplaces, or communities, we are called to be missionaries, bringing Christ’s love and light to others. Let us embrace our mission with the same faith as Amos, the same gratitude as the Ephesians, and the same courage as the apostles. May we remember that our ordinary lives are our mission field, and may we live each day with the faith and trust that God is always with us.