Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection July 11, 2026
Saturday – 14th Week in Ordinary Time
11th June 2026 (Saturday)
Psalter: Week 2
Here are the Catholic Mass readings and a daily reflection for Saturday, July 11, 2026, the Memorial of Saint Benedict. Today Isaiah is overwhelmed by the holiness of God and then sent, while in the Gospel Jesus tells his followers not to fear those who can only kill the body.
Readings of the Day
Catholic Mass Readings
First Reading: Isaiah 6:1-8
In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
Psalm 93:1ab, 1cd-2, 5 (R. 1a)
R/. The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel: Matthew 10:24-33
At that time: Jesus said to his disciples, “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household. “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Saturday – 14th Week in Ordinary Time
Main Point: Before Isaiah volunteers for anything, he is undone. He sees God, feels utterly ruined, and is cleansed. Only then does he say send me. Awe comes first. The mission is born from worship, not before it.
1. Isaiah walks into the temple and the roof comes off his world. He sees the Lord, high and lifted up, the train of his robe filling the temple. Angels cover their faces and cry, “Holy, holy, holy.” This is not a quiet prayer time. It is the living God, overwhelming.
2. Isaiah’s first reaction is not joy. It is collapse. “Woe is me, I am lost. I am a man of unclean lips.” Standing before pure holiness, he sees his own smallness with terrible clarity. The nearer God comes, the more honest Isaiah becomes about himself.
3. This is worth noticing. We often want usefulness before worship. We ask what we can do for God before we have been floored by who God is. Isaiah shows the true order. First the vision, then the trembling, then the clean heart, then the call. Awe comes before assignment.
4. God does not leave him in the dust. An angel takes a burning coal from the altar and touches his lips. “Your guilt is taken away, your sin atoned for.” Isaiah does not cleanse himself. He is cleansed. The fire that should destroy a sinner instead heals him.
5. Only now does the call come. “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” And the cleansed man answers, “Here I am. Send me.” Notice he could not have said it three verses earlier. He needed to see God and be made clean first. The willing heart is the fruit of the encounter, not the price of it.
6. Then the Gospel arms that sent one against fear. Three times Jesus says, “Do not be afraid.” Do not fear those who can kill the body but cannot touch the soul. The God who sends is greater than anyone who can threaten the messenger.
7. Jesus gives a reason to steady the heart. Not one sparrow falls without the Father, and you are worth more than many sparrows. Even the hairs of your head are counted. The God of the temple vision knows you down to the smallest detail. That is why fear loses its grip.
8. Saint Benedict built a whole way of life on this order. His motto was to prefer nothing to Christ, and his monks began each day with worship before work. He knew what Isaiah knew. The strength to serve is drawn from the God we adore first. Prayer feeds the mission. It does not compete with it.
My Practice: Check the order of your life with God. You may be straining to work for him before you have stopped to worship him. Isaiah could not say “send me” until he had seen the Lord and been made clean. So start where he started. Let God be holy and great in your eyes again. Kneel before you run. And when the fear of what others can do to you rises up, remember you are worth more than many sparrows to a God who counts your hairs. See him first. Then go.
Read tomorrow’s Catholic Mass readings and reflection for July 11, 2026, the Memorial of Saint Benedict, or revisit yesterday’s reflection for Thursday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time.
Thank You 🙏🙏🙏
Tags: Daily Mass Reflection, Ordinary Time, Gospel of Matthew, Catholic Mass Readings, Sheep Among Wolves, July 2026
