Daily Catholic Mass Readings for August 8, 2024
First Reading: Jeremiah 31.31-34
31"The time is coming," declares the LORD, "when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah.32It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, "declares the LORD.33"This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time," declares the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.34No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest," declares the LORD. "For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more."
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 16.13-23
13When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?"14They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets."15"But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"16Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."17Jesus replied, "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.18And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.19I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."20Then he warned his disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.21From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.22Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never, Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!"23Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of God's covenant and our response to His call. In Jeremiah, we hear of a new covenant, one that transcends the old, written not on stone tablets but on the hearts of God's people. This covenant is characterized by an intimate, personal relationship where everyone knows God, and sins are forgiven. It speaks of a time when God's law becomes an integral part of who we are, guiding our thoughts and actions from within.
In Matthew, we witness a pivotal moment in Jesus' ministry as Peter confesses Him as the Christ, the Son of the living God. This confession is not just a recognition of Jesus' identity but a testament to the rock upon which the Church is built. Jesus establishes Peter as a foundational figure, granting him authority and emphasizing the enduring nature of the Church despite trials. However, this revelation is followed by Jesus' prediction of His suffering, death, and resurrection, which Peter struggles to accept. Jesus' rebuke of Peter highlights the tension between human understanding and divine will, urging us to trust in God's plan even when it is difficult.
These readings remind us that our faith is rooted in a covenant of love and forgiveness, internalized and lived out daily. Like Peter, we are called to trust in God's plan, even when it challenges our understanding. Our response should be one of faith and obedience, recognizing that the Church, built on the rock of Peter's confession, endures through trials. May we internalize God's teachings, living them out in our daily lives, and trust in His divine plan, even when the path is uncertain.