Catholic Doctrine and the Sunday Readings for June 2023

The meaning of the Sunday Mass Readings for June 2023 is made clearest by Catholic Doctrine. As the Ethiopian asked Philip, “How can I [understand Scripture], unless someone instructs me?” (Acts 8:31), let’s ask for a better understanding of key verses from June’s Readings[1] by getting the best possible instruction: instruction from doctrines in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Doctrines are the Magisterium’s authoritative clarification of Revelation and Faith that must be accepted as objectively true in order to be Catholic.

June 4, The Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity

On this Solemnity, it is most appropriate to recall that “[t]he mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of Christian faith and life.” “The whole history of salvation is identical with the history of the way and the means by which the one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, reveals himself to men” (CCC 234).

In the First Reading, God reveals Himself to Moses as “merciful and gracious” “slow to anger,” and “rich in kindness and fidelity” (Exodus 34:6). The Catechism refers to this verse to support the doctrine: “God’s very being is Truth and Love” (CCC 231[2]). The Catechism explains how God is truth in paragraphs 215-217 and how God is love in paragraphs 218-221. “God himself is an eternal exchange of love, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and he has destined us to share in that exchange” (CCC 221).

The Second Reading shows us the source of the Greeting at Mass. “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all” comes from St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians 13:13. This salutation is one example of how “[f]rom the beginning, the revealed truth [that God is a] Holy Trinity has been at the very root of the Church’s living faith” (CCC 249) and is not the construct of later centuries. CCC 232-267 are well worth reading for a greater understanding of the Trinity.

The Gospel Reading is supremely encouraging. “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:17). It is also supremely challenging. “[B]ut whoever does not believe has already been condemned” (John 3:18). Belief is acceptance of God not only with our minds, but also with our wills, emotions, and actions. “By rejecting grace in this life, one already judges oneself, receives according to one’s works, and can even condemn oneself for all eternity by rejecting the Spirit of love” (CCC 679). More about this at the end of this column.

• From the First Reading[3] (Exodus 34:4b-6, 8-9): Ex 34:5-6 is cited in CCC 210; Ex 34:6 in CCC 214, 231, and 2577; and Ex 34:9 in CCC
• From the Second Reading (2 Corinthians 13:11-13): 2 Cor 13:13 is cited in CCC 249, 734, 1109, and 2627.
• From the Alleluia (Revelation 1:8): Rv 1:8 is cited in CCC
• From the Gospel (John 3:16-18): Jn 3:16 is cited in CCC 219, 444, 454, 458, and 706; Jn 3:17 in CCC 679; and Jn 3:18 in CCC 444, 454, and 679.

June 11, Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ

One of several references the Catechism makes to today’s brief but profound Second Reading teaches us that Holy Communion is another name for the Eucharist because “by this sacrament we unite ourselves to Christ, who makes us sharers in his Body and Blood to form a single body” (CCC 1331). To be clear, it is Catholic doctrine that “[i]n the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained” (CCC1374).

[B]y the consecration of the bread and wine there takes place a change of the whole substance of the bread into the substance of the body of Christ our Lord and of the whole substance of the wine into the substance of his blood. This change [and so this doctrine] the holy Catholic Church has fittingly and properly called transubstantiation. (CCC 1376)

When we say “Amen” to the Minister of Holy Communion’s “The Body of Christ,” we should be saying “Amen” to the Real Presence of Christ in the Consecrated Host.

One Catechism citation of today’s Gospel – “the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world” (John 6:51) – quotes St. Justin Martyr (who died c. 165): “[N]o one may take part in [the Eucharist] unless he believes that what we teach is true . . . and lives in keeping with what Christ taught” (CCC 1355). In other words, “[a]nyone conscious of a grave [that is, mortal] sin must receive the sacrament of Reconciliation before coming to communion” (CCC 1385). See also the First Letter to the Corinthians 11:28-32. When we say “Amen” to the Minister of Holy Communion’s “The Body of Christ,” we should be saying “Amen” to all Catholic Doctrine.

John 6:51 is also cited by the Catechism in conjunction with a profound quote from St. Peter Chrysologus on our need to receive the Eucharist: “The Father in heaven urges us . . . to ask for the bread of heaven . . .” (CCC 2837). It remains a grave sin, important to note in these post-Covid times, to miss Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation in person without a good reason (CCC 1389 and Canon 1247 of the Code of Canon Law).

Remote Mass is a last resort.

• From the First Reading (Deuteronomy 8:2-3, 14b-16a): Dt 8:3 is cited in CCC 1334 and 2835.
• From the Second Reading (1 Corinthians 10:16-17):. 1 Cor 10:16-17 is cited in CCC 1329, 1331, 1396; 10:16 in CCC 1334; and 10:17 in CCC
• From the Alleluia (Jn 6:51); see below.
• From the Gospel (John 6:51-58): Jn 6:51 is cited in CCC 728, 1355, 1406, and 2837; Jn 6:53-56 in CCC 2837; Jn 6:53 in CCC 1384; Jn 6:54 in CCC 994, 1001, 1406, 1509, and 1524; Jn 6:56 in CCC 787, 1391, and 1406; Jn 6:57 in CCC 1391; and Jn 6:58 in CCC

June 18, Eleventh Sunday of Ordinary Time

In the Second Reading, we are given the ultimate example of unconditional love. “God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “By giving up his own Son for our sins, God manifests his plan for us is one of benevolent love, prior to any merit on our part. . . . There is not, never has been, and never will be a single human being for whom Christ did not suffer” (CCC 604,605).

In today’s Alleluia, we hear the gospel, or good news, that Jesus Himself preached: “The Kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:15). Citing verses from today’s Gospel Reading when Jesus gives the Twelve Apostles the mission to preach the same gospel (Matthew 10:5-7), the Catechism gives us the doctrine that “Everyone is called to enter the Kingdom” (CCC 543). This is the reason Christ died for every sinner. He sacrificed Himself on the cross so that everyone would have the potential to enter the Kingdom of God. God’s invitation to enter His Kingdom – the Kingdom of infinite love and happiness, the restoration of the Garden of Eden – is the completion of His unconditional love for us sinners.

The Alleluia also gives us what Christ immediately and intrinsically added to His gospel: “Repent and believe in the gospel.” Citing the verse of the Alleluia, the Catechism gives us these doctrines. Conversion is “the first step in returning to the Father from whom one has strayed by sin” (CCC 1423). The call to conversion “is an essential part of the proclamation of the Kingdom” (CCC 1427) – we cannot evangelize others without calling them to conversion. More on this in the next section.

• From the First Reading (Exodus 19:2-6a): Ex 19:5-6 is cited in CCC 709, 762, and 2810; and Ex 19:6 in CCC 63 and 1539.
• From the Second Reading (Romans 5:6-11): Rom 5:8 is cited in CCC 604; and Rom 5:10 in CCC 603 and 1825.
• From the Alleluia (Mark 1:15): Mk 1:15 is cited in CCC 541, 1423, and 1427.
• From the Gospel (Matthew 9:36—10:8): Mt 9:38 is cited in CCC 2611; Mt 10:5-7 in CCC 543; and Mt 10:8 in CCC 1509, 2121, and 2443.

June 25, Twelfth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Today’s Second Reading (Romans 5:12-15) is cited in CCC 388, which asserts that Original Sin is “an essential truth of the Faith.” See my commentary on the First Sunday of Lent for elaboration.

Yes, God invites everyone to enter His Kingdom, as we saw in last week’s Alleluia and Gospel. Yet in today’s Gospel, Jesus both consoles and warns: “Everyone who acknowledges me before others I will acknowledge before my heavenly Father. But whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my heavenly Father” (Matthew 10:32-33). Citing these verses, the Catechism declares: “The disciple of Christ must not only keep the faith and live on it, but also profess it, confidently bear witness to it, and spread it . . . Service of and witness to the faith are necessary for salvation” (CCC 1816).

So back to unconditional love. We must be careful to avoid making the mistake about God’s unconditional love of us that is commonly made about human unconditional love. It is a mistake, even when well-intended, for us to equate unconditional love with unconditional approval. We do not truly love others unconditionally when we unconditionally approve of all their actions, and vice versa. Likewise, God does not approve of all our actions because He unconditionally loves us. “Hate the sin, but love the sinner” was advice St. Augustine gave about human relationships. It also accurately describes God’s relationship with us. God hates our sins, but He loves us. God wants a relationship of love with us, a relationship which must therefore be mutual, not one-sided. Just because Christ died for our sins, entrance to the Kingdom is not automatically given. We must choose the Kingdom. As Jesus said elsewhere, “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love” (John 15:10).

To what must we convert others and convert (or re-convert) ourselves as often as necessary? How do we know the sins for which Christ died? What should we profess, confidently bear witness to, and spread in order to avoid denying Christ before others? Catholic Doctrine.

• From the First Reading (Jeremiah 20:10-13): Jer 20:7-18 is cited in CCC 2584.
• From the Responsorial Psalm (Psalms 69:8-10, 14, 17, 33-35): Ps 69:10 is cited in CCC 584.
• From the Second Reading (Romans 5:12-15): Rom 5:12-21 is cited in CCC 388; and Rom 5:12 in CCC 400, 402, 602, 612, and 1008.
• From the Alleluia (John 15:26b, 27a): Jn 15:26 is cited in CCC 244, 248, 263, 692, 719, 729, 1433, and 2671.
• From the Gospel (Matthew 10:26-33): Mt 10:28 is cited in CCC 363 and 1034; Mt 10:29-31 in CCC 305; Mt 10:32-33 in CCC 1816; and Mt 10:32 in CCC 14 and 2145.

[1] There are too many citations, or references, in the Catechism to the verses in a month of Sunday Mass readings to identify all the pertinent doctrines, so I will use my best judgment to select which verses and doctrines to cover in a column that may not exceed 2,000 words. The bullet points allow you to explore further the Biblical basis of Catholic Doctrine.

[2] CCC abbreviates Catechism of the Catholic Church. Any number after it is the number of a paragraph in the Catechism. For example, “CCC 231” means paragraph 231 of the Catechism.

[3] If a Reading is not listed, then none of its verses is cited by the CCC.