Daily Catholic Mass Readings for September 8, 2024
First Reading: Isaiah 35.4-7
4say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you."5Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped.6Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.7The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.
Psalm 146
1Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul.2I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.3Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save.4When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing.5Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,6the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them- the LORD, who remains faithful forever.7He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free,8the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.9The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.10The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD.
Second Reading: James 2.1-5
1My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism.2Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in.3If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet,"4have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?5Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?
Gospel: Mark 7.31-37
31Then Jesus left the vicinity of Tyre and went through Sidon, down to the Sea of Galilee and into the region of the Decapolis.32There some people brought to him a man who was deaf and could hardly talk, and they begged him to place his hand on the man.33After he took him aside, away from the crowd, Jesus put his fingers into the man's ears. Then he spit and touched the man's tongue.34He looked up to heaven and with a deep sigh said to him, "Ephphatha!" (which means, "Be opened!" ).35At this, the man's ears were opened, his tongue was loosened and he began to speak plainly.36Jesus commanded them not to tell anyone. But the more he did so, the more they kept talking about it.37People were overwhelmed with amazement. "He has done everything well," they said. "He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful themes of hope, healing, and the call to live with integrity. The first reading from Isaiah paints a vivid picture of a world transformed by God’s presence. The prophet describes a desert blooming with life, the blind seeing, and the mute speaking—a vision of a world where God’s power overcomes all limitations. This passage reminds us that God is always near, ready to bring light and life to those who feel lost or marginalized.
The Gospel offers a living example of this transformation through the story of Jesus healing the deaf and mute man. By taking the man aside and touching his ears and tongue, Jesus shows us a God who is intimate and personal, who meets us in our specific struggles. The man’s healing is not just physical but also spiritual—a testament to the power of faith and trust in God. This miracle, like Isaiah’s vision, invites us to believe that no matter our challenges, God can open our ears to hear His voice and loosen our tongues to proclaim His love.
James, in the second reading, challenges us to live out this faith in our daily lives. He warns against favoritism, urging us to see everyone as equal in God’s eyes. Just as Jesus reached out to the marginalized, we are called to treat others with the same compassion and fairness. Today’s readings remind us that our faith is not just about waiting for God to act but also about acting justly and lovingly in the world. May we, like the man healed by Jesus, be opened to God’s grace and empowered to live as instruments of His healing and justice.