Daily Mass Readings for Friday, 4 August 2023
First Reading: Leviticus 23: 1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37
Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 81: 3-4, 5-6, 10-11ab
Alleluia: First Peter 1: 25
Gospel: Matthew 13: 54-58
Friday, 4 August 2023
First Reading
Leviticus 23: 1, 4-11, 15-16, 27, 34b-37
The LORD said to Moses,
"These are the festivals of the LORD which you shall celebrate
at their proper time with a sacred assembly.
The Passover of the LORD falls on the fourteenth day of the first month,
at the evening twilight.
The fifteenth day of this month is the LORD's feast of Unleavened Bread.
For seven days you shall eat unleavened bread.
On the first of these days you shall hold a sacred assembly
and do no sort of work.
On each of the seven days you shall offer an oblation to the LORD.
Then on the seventh day you shall again hold a sacred assembly
and do no sort of work."
The LORD said to Moses, "Speak to the children of Israel and tell them:
When you come into the land which I am giving you,
and reap your harvest,
you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest
to the priest, who shall wave the sheaf before the LORD
that it may be acceptable for you.
On the day after the sabbath the priest shall do this.
"Beginning with the day after the sabbath,
the day on which you bring the wave-offering sheaf,
you shall count seven full weeks,
and then on the day after the seventh week, the fiftieth day,
you shall present the new cereal offering to the LORD.
"The tenth of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement,
when you shall hold a sacred assembly and mortify yourselves
and offer an oblation to the LORD.
"The fifteenth day of this seventh month is the LORD's feast of Booths,
which shall continue for seven days.
On the first day there shall be a sacred assembly,
and you shall do no sort of work.
For seven days you shall offer an oblation to the LORD,
and on the eighth day you shall again hold a sacred assembly
and offer an oblation to the LORD.
On that solemn closing you shall do no sort of work.
"These, therefore, are the festivals of the LORD
on which you shall proclaim a sacred assembly,
and offer as an oblation to the LORD burnt offerings and cereal offerings,
sacrifices and libations, as prescribed for each day."
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 81:3-4, 5-6, 10-11ab
Sing with joy to God our help.
Take up a melody, and sound the timbrel,
the pleasant harp and the lyre.
Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
at the full moon, on our solemn feast.
Sing with joy to God our help.
For it is a statute in Israel,
an ordinance of the God of Jacob,
Who made it a decree for Joseph
when he came forth from the land of Egypt.
Sing with joy to God our help.
There shall be no strange god among you
nor shall you worship any alien god.
I, the LORD, am your God
who led you forth from the land of Egypt.
Sing with joy to God our help.
Alleluia
1 Pt 1:25
Alleluia, alleluia.
The word of the Lord remains forever;
this is the word that has been proclaimed to you.
Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Mt 13:54-58
Jesus came to his native place and taught the people in their synagogue.
They were astonished and said,
"Where did this man get such wisdom and mighty deeds?
Is he not the carpenter's son?
Is not his mother named Mary
and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas?
Are not his sisters all with us?
Where did this man get all this?"
And they took offense at him.
But Jesus said to them,
"A prophet is not without honor except in his native place
and in his own house."
And he did not work many mighty deeds there
because of their lack of faith.
Todays Reflection
Greatness of Christ
The Gospel of today emphasizes the importance of seeing God's presence in the lives of those around us. Jesus' hometown of Nazareth was known for its wisdom and mighty deeds, leading some townspeople to doubt his specialness. However, many failed to see the holiness of Jesus and the Holy Family.
The Gospel story reminds us that it is easy to miss the presence of God all around us. If those closest to Jesus did not recognize Him as a man of exceptional virtue and holiness, we may fail to see the presence of God in the lives of those we encounter every day.
God dwells within each person He has created, and even those in a state of mortal sin are still made in the image of God and reflect God by their very nature. We must see this and work to see God's divine activity in their lives.
To see God's presence in our lives, we must reflect on the people we are closest to. Habits of dwelling upon others' faults can be hard to break, but they can only be broken by intentionally seeking out the presence of God in their lives. This is a holy endeavor that must be done.
Reflect on the mission you have been given to see God's presence in the lives of those around you. Imagine Jesus growing up in your town or neighbor, and see how well you see Him. Commit yourself to the holy mission of seeing Him more clearly so that you can rejoice in His greatness that is truly manifest all around you.
In conclusion, the Gospel of today reminds us that God is present in every person we encounter, and we must work to see His presence in our lives. By focusing on our own virtues and the holiness of Jesus, we can truly appreciate the greatness of God and the love and grace of those around us.
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