Daily Catholic Mass Readings for May 6, 2025

First Reading: 2 Timothy 4.1-5

¹In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge:²Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction.³For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.⁴They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.⁵But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

Psalm 96

Psalms

Chapter 96

¹Sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth.²Sing to the LORD, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.³Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.⁴For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.⁵For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.⁶Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.⁷Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.⁸Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts.⁹Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.¹⁰Say among the nations, "The LORD reigns." The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.¹¹Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it;¹²let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy;¹³they will sing before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth.

Gospel: John 10.11-16

John

Chapter 10

¹¹"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.¹²The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.¹³The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.¹⁴"I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me--¹⁵just as the Father knows me and I know the Father--and I lay down my life for the sheep.¹⁶I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we are reminded of the profound call to fidelity, integrity, and selfless love in our lives as followers of Christ. The second reading from 2 Timothy urges us to fulfill our mission with urgency and perseverance, preaching the Word of God in every season of life. St. Paul emphasizes the importance of remaining steadfast in our faith, even when the world around us grows weary of the truth and turns to false teachings. This passage is a call to vigilance and dedication, encouraging us to embrace our role as disciples and evangelists, no matter the challenges we face. The Gospel from John presents Jesus as the Good Shepherd, who lays down his life for his sheep. This image contrasts sharply with the hired hand who flees in times of danger, showing no genuine care for the flock. Jesus, on the other hand, knows his sheep intimately and is willing to sacrifice everything for their sake. This passage invites us to reflect on our relationship with Christ and our commitment to one another. Just as the Good Shepherd knows his own, we are called to know and follow Christ’s voice, trusting in his love and care for us. Together, these readings remind us of the importance of living with integrity and perseverance in our faith. Like St. Paul, we are called to proclaim the truth with courage and patience, even when it is uncomfortable or unpopular. And like the Good Shepherd, we are called to care for one another with selfless love, putting the needs of others before our own. Let us ask ourselves: Are we fulfilling our mission with fidelity? Are we listening to the voice of the Good Shepherd and following him with trust and obedience? May we strive to live out these values in our daily lives, becoming instruments of God’s love and truth in a world that so desperately needs it.