Daily Catholic Mass Readings for March 6, 2025
First Reading: Deuteronomy 30.15-20
15See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.16For I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the LORD your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.17But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them,18I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.19This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live20and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Psalm 1
1Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.2But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.3He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.4Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.5Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.6For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Gospel: Luke 9.22-25
22And he said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life."23Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.24For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it.25What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?
Sermon
In today's readings, we are presented with profound choices that shape our spiritual journey. The first reading from Deuteronomy finds Moses addressing the Israelites on the brink of entering the Promised Land, offering them a stark choice between life and death. Moses urges them to choose life by adhering to God's commandments, promising blessings and prosperity. This moment is pivotal as the Israelites prepare to embark on a new chapter, with their commitment to God's laws determining their future.
The Gospel from Luke shifts the focus to Jesus, who reveals the impending suffering, death, and resurrection he will endure. He then challenges his disciples to embrace self-denial, take up their cross daily, and follow him. Jesus emphasizes that true life is found in losing oneself for his sake, contrasting earthly gains with spiritual loss. This teaching underscores the essence of discipleship, highlighting the necessity of sacrifice and commitment.
Both readings converge on the theme of choice and commitment. Deuteronomy's choice between life and death mirrors Luke's call to self-denial and cross-bearing. Each invites us to reflect on our daily decisions and priorities. In our lives, this might mean choosing integrity over convenience or patience over impatience. The moral lesson is clear: our choices have spiritual consequences. Let us choose life by following God's will, embracing the sacrifices that lead to true fulfillment. May we find the courage to commit to a life of faith, trusting in God's promise of eternal life.