The meaning of the Sunday Mass Readings for August 2024 is made clearest by Catholic Doctrine. Catholic doctrines are the essentially unchangeable clarifications of Revelation and Faith that only the pope and bishops (together, the Magisterium) have the God-given authority to make and that must be accepted as objectively true in order to be Catholic.
Let’s learn the always-true, never-to-be-contradicted doctrines in the Catechism of the Catholic Church that we can take away from this August’s Sunday Readings.[1]
August 4, Eighteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Second Reading tells us to put away the old self of sin and put on the new the self of holiness. The Catechism uses this verse to explain the temporal punishment due to sin. First, it is not eternal punishment – the eternal separation from God due to mortal sin. Instead, it is the purification of unhealthy attachment to things committed in venial sins. Purification can occur either after death in Purgatory or before death from “fervent charity” (CCC 1473[2]). The best way to know how to live out charity is found in Catholic Doctrine. Important to note is that “[t]hese two punishments must not be conceived of as a kind of vengeance inflicted by God from without, but as following from the very nature of sin” (CCC 1472).
Today’s Gospel begins Jesus’ Bread of Life Discourse, which will continue to be read the remaining three Sundays of this month. The Catechism connects the Gospel with the First Reading (both of which are echoed in the Responsorial Psalm and the Alleluia): “manna in the desert prefigured the Eucharist” (CCC 1094). Manna is the bread which God gave the Israelites as they were making their exodus from Egypt through the desert to the Promised Land. Manna is one of “the saving events and significant realities [in the Old Testament] which have found their fulfillment in the mystery of Christ” (CCC 1093). The Eucharist is “the true bread from heaven” (CCC 1094).
- From the Second Reading[3] (Ephesians 4:17, 20-24): Eph 4:22 is cited in CCC 1473; Eph 4:23 is cited in CCC 1695; and Eph 4:24 in CCC 1473, 2475, and 2504.
- From the Alleluia (Matthew 4:4b): Mt 4:4 is cited in CCC 2835.
- From the Gospel (John 6:24-35): Jn 6:27 is cited in CCC 698, 728, and 1296; Jn 6:32 in CCC 1094; and Jn 6:33 in CCC 423.
August 11, Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Both the First Reading and the Responsorial Psalm attest to the reality of angels. Angels are “purely spiritual creatures” who “have intelligence and will: they are personal and immortal creatures” (CCC 330). “Angels have been present since creation and throughout the history of salvation” (CCC 332). “From its beginning until death, human life is surrounded by their watchful care and intercession. Beside each believer stands an angel as protector and shepherd leading him to life” (CCC 336).
When Jesus says in today’s Gospel, “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world,” we should take Him literally and realize He means Holy Communion (CCC 1355).
Jesus also says that He is the only one who has seen the Father. Citing this verse, the Catechism asserts “Because he ‘has seen the Father,’ Jesus is the only one who knows him and can reveal him” (CCC 151). This means that Jesus is the only one in human condition to whom the Father has revealed Himself directly. Otherwise, the Father has revealed and does reveal Himself indirectly – through some kind of medium (in the original sense of an intervening thing and not just a method of communication). With Moses, for example, it was a burning bush. Even though the Eucharist is God the Son – Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity – He reveals Himself through the media of bread and wine.
- From the First Reading (1 Kings 19:4-8): 1 Kgs 19:5 is cited in CCC 332.
- From the Responsorial Psalm (Psalms 34:2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9): Ps 34:3 is cited in CCC 716; and Ps 34:8 in CCC 336.
- From the Second Reading (Ephesians 4:30-5:2): Eph 4:30 is cited in CCC 698, 1274, and 1296; Eph 4:32 in CCC 2842; Eph 5:1 in CCC 1694; and Eph 5:2 in CCC 616.
- From the Alleluia (John 6:51): see below.
- From the Gospel (John 6:41-51): Jn 6:44 is cited in CCC 259, 591, 1001, and 1428; Jn 6:46 in CCC 151; and Jn 6:51 in CCC 728, 1355, 1406, and 2837.
August 15, Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Vigil
The only verse from all of today’s Readings that is cited by the Catechism is from the Second Reading: “The sting of death is sin.” It supports the doctrine that “Man’s sins, following on original sin, are punishable by death” (CCC 602). Death and suffering entered the world only because the first human beings freely chose to disobey God, as every human being has since then. God always has wanted and always will want human beings to be free of all suffering and death (CCC 54-55).
None of the verses in the Readings for either the Vigil or the Mass of the Day is used by the Catechism to support the dogma (the infallible and unreformable doctrine expressing Divine Revelation) of the Assumption: “when the course of her earthly life was finished, [Mary] was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory . . . so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death” (CCC 966). Mary has in eternity the same kind of resurrected existence as Jesus has had since His Resurrection – a supernatural existence that transcends death and earthly limitation but that still includes a body as well as a soul (CCC 645).
- From the Second Reading (1 Corinthians 15:54b-57): 1 Cor 15:56 is cited in CCC 602.
August 15, Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary during the Day
The woman described in the First Reading (Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab) is Mary (CCC 1138).
The Second Reading essentially means that “Christ’s Resurrection – and the risen Christ himself – is the principle and source of our future resurrection” (CCC 655). Christ is the principle of our resurrection because we will be transformed on the Last Day like He was transformed at His Resurrection – to have a mode of supernatural existence that still includes a physical body. Christ is the source of our resurrection because we will only experience resurrected bodies thanks to Christ’s Resurrection.
Christ is the principle and source of Mary’s Assumption, which is her resurrection. “The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son’s Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians” (CCC 966).
- From the First Reading (Revelation 11:19a; 12:1-6a, 10ab): Rv 12 is cited in CCC 1138.
- From the Second Reading (1 Corinthians 15:20-27): 1 Cor 15:20-22 is cited in CCC 655; 1 Cor 15:20 in CCC 632; 1 Cor 15:21-22 in CCC 411; 1 Cor 15:24-28 in CCC 2855; 1 Cor 15:24 in CCC 668; 1 Cor 15:26 in CCC 1008; and 1 Cor 15:27-28 in CCC 668.
- From the Gospel (Luke 1:39-56): Lk 1:41 is cited in CCC 523, 717, and 2676; Lk 1:43 in CCC 448, 495, and 2677; Lk 1:45 in CCC 148 and 2676; Lk 1:46-55 in CCC 722, 2619, and 2675; Lk 1:46-49 in CCC 2097; Lk 1:48 in CCC 148, 971, and 2676; Lk 1:49 in CCC 273, 2599, 2807, and 2827; Lk 1:50 in CCC 2465; Lk 1:54-55 in CCC 706; and Lk 1:55 in CCC 422.
August 18, Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today’s Second Reading tells us to pray always. “This tireless fervor can come only from love . . . which opens our hearts to three enlightening and life-giving facts of faith about prayer” (CCC 2742). First: “It is always possible to pray” (CCC 2743). Second: “Prayer is a vital necessity” (CCC 2744). Third: “Prayer and Christian life are inseparable” (CCC 2745).
The Catechism quotes John 6:56 and 6:57 from today’s Gospel when it teaches: “The principle fruit of receiving the Eucharist in Holy Communion is an intimate union with Christ Jesus” (CCC 1391). Graces offered to us when we receive Holy Communion are that Holy Communion “wipes away venial sins” (CCC 1394), “preserves us from future mortal sin” (CCC 1395), “renews, strengthens, and deepens . . . incorporation into the Church” (CCC 1396), “commits us to the poor” (CCC 1397), urges the unity of Christians into one Church (CCC 1398). Church discipline should be followed when the Eucharist is celebrated (CCC 1382-1390).
- From the Responsorial Psalm (Psalms 34: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7): Ps 34:3 is cited in CCC 716.
- From the Second Reading (Ephesians 5:15-20): Eph 5:16 is cited in CCC 672; Eph 5:17 in CCC 2826; Eph 5:19 in CCC 1156 and 2641; and Eph 5:20 in CCC 2633 and 2742.
- From the Gospel (John 6:51-58): Jn 6:51 in CCC 728, 1355, 1406, and 2837; Jn 6:53-56 is cited in CCC 2837; Jn 6:53 in CCC 1384; Jn 6:54 in CCC 994, 1001, 1406, 1509, and 1524; Jn 6:57 in CCC 1391; and Jn 6:58 in CCC 1509.
August 25, Twenty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time
The Catechism clarifies what St. Paul wrote about marriage in the Second Reading: “It is by following Christ, renouncing themselves, and taking up their crosses that spouses will be able to ‘receive’ the original meaning of marriage [in Eden] and live in it with the help of Christ” (CCC 1615). God created man and woman “to be a communion of persons, in which each can be ‘helpmate’ to the other, for they are equal as persons . . . and complementary as masculine and feminine” (CCC 372).
We should understand Christ’s question in today’s Gospel, “Do you also want to leave?” as a loving invitation to discover that only he has ‘the words of eternal life’ and that to receive in faith the gift of his Eucharist is to receive the Lord himself” (CCC 1336). To say “Amen” to the Host is to say “Amen” to the Body of Christ, and also to the Mystical Body of Christ, the Catholic Church, and all her doctrines.
- From the Responsorial Psalm (Psalms 34: 2-3, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21): Ps 34:3 is cited in CCC 716.
- From the Second Reading (Ephesians 5:21-32 OR 5a, 25-32): Eph 5:2 is cited in CCC 616; Eph 5:21-26 in CCC 2204; Eph 5:21 in CCC 1269 and 1642; Eph 5:25-27 in CCC 757 and 1617; Eph 5:26 in CCC 628, 796, and 1228; Eph 5:27 in CCC 773, 796, and 1426; Eph 5:29 in CCC 757 and 796; Eph 5:31-32 in CCC 796, 1602, and 1616; Eph 5:31 in CCC 1627; and Eph 5:32 in CCC 772, 1624, and 1659.
- From the Alleluia (John 6:63c, 68c): see below.
- From the Gospel (John 6:60-69): Jn 6:60 is cited in CCC 1336; Jn 6:61 in CCC 473; Jn 6:62-63 in CCC 728; Jn 6:62 in CCC 440; Jn 6:63 in CCC 2766; Jn 6:67 in CCC 1336; Jn 6:68 in CCC 1336; and Jn 6:69 in CCC 438.
[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 1473” means paragraph 1473 of the Catechism.
[3] If a Reading is not listed, then none of its verses is cited by the CCC.
