Daily Mass Readings – Friday, 25 June 2027

1 And after he began to be ninety and nine years old, the Lord appeared to him: and said unto him: I am the Almighty God: walk before me, and be perfect.

9 Again God said to Abraham: And thou therefore shalt keep my covenant, and thy seed after thee in their generations.

10 This is my covenant which you shall observe, between me and you, and thy seed after thee: All the male kind of you shall be circumcised:

15 God said also to Abraham: Sarai thy wife thou shalt not call Sarai, but Sara.

16 And I will bless her, and of her I will give thee a son, whom I will bless, and he shall become nations, and kings of people shall spring from him.

17 Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, saying in his heart: Shall a son, thinkest thou, be born to him that is a hundred years old? and shall Sara that is ninety years old bring forth?

18 And he said to God: O that Ismael may live before thee.

19 And God said to Abraham: Sara thy wife shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name Isaac, and I will establish my covenant with him for a perpetual covenant, and with his seed after him.

20 And as for Ismael I have also heard thee. Behold, I will bless him, and increase, and multiply him exceedingly: he shall beget twelve chiefs, and I will make him a great nation.

21 But my covenant I will establish with Isaac, whom Sara shall bring forth to thee at this time in the next year.

22 And when he had left off speaking with him, God went up from Abraham.

R. (4) See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.

1 Blessed are all they that fear the Lord: that walk in his ways.

2 For thou shalt eat the labours of thy hands: blessed art thou, and it shall be well with thee.

R. See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.

3 Thy wife as a fruitful vine, on the sides of thy house.

R. See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.

4 Behold, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.

5 May the Lord bless thee out of Sion: and mayest thou see the good things of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.

R. See how the Lord blesses those who fear him.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

17 Christ took away our infirmitiesand bore our diseases.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

1 And when he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him:

2 And behold a leper came and adored him, saying: Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.

3 And Jesus stretching forth his hand, touched him, saying: I will, be thou made clean. And forthwith his leprosy was cleansed.

4 And Jesus saith to him: See thou tell no man: but go, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift which Moses commanded for a testimony unto them.

God’s covenant unfolds through promises that human beings could never secure by their own strength. Abraham is nearly a hundred, Sarah is ninety, and yet God speaks of a son, a lasting covenant, and nations to come. Abraham laughs and pleads for Ishmael, but God remains faithful to his purpose, blessing Ishmael while establishing the covenant with Isaac. The psalm answers with a picture of blessing for those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways: trust in God becomes a way of life.

The leper approaches Jesus with a simple, courageous faith: “If you will, you can make me clean.” Jesus does not remain distant. He stretches out his hand, touches him, and speaks healing. The Lord who fulfills his promises also meets human weakness with mercy. Christ bears our infirmities, and his grace reaches us in places where we know our need most clearly. Like Abraham and the leper, we can bring God both our limited understanding and our deepest longing. Faith means continuing to walk before him, obeying his word, and trusting that his mercy is at work even when its fulfillment exceeds what we can imagine.

Almighty God, teach me to walk before you with reverence and trust. When your promises seem beyond my understanding, keep me from relying only on what I can see. Jesus, compassionate Lord, stretch out your hand toward my weakness and cleanse whatever keeps me from living faithfully. Give me the courage to approach you honestly, the humility to receive your mercy, and the obedience to follow the path you show me. May your grace bear fruit in my life and make me a blessing to others. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.