Daily Readings - Tue Feb 26 2019
Sirach
1Son, when you apply yourself to the service of God, stand in justice and in fear, and prepare your soul for temptation2Humble your heart, and persevere. Incline your ear, and accept words of understanding. And you should not hurry away in the time of distress3Endure steadfastly for God. Join yourself to God, and persevere, so that your life may increase in the very end4Accept everything that will happen to you, and persevere in your sorrow, and have patience in your humiliation5For gold and silver are tested in fire, yet truly, acceptable men are tested in the furnace of humiliation6Believe God, and he will restore you to health. And straighten your way, and hope in him. Observe his fear, and grow old in it7You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy. And do not turn away from him, lest you fall8You who fear the Lord, believe in him. And your reward will not be taken away9You who fear the Lord, hope in him. And mercy will approach you, to your delight10You who fear the Lord, love him. And your hearts will be illuminated11My sons, consider the nations of men, and know that not one of them hoped in the Lord and was confounded
Mark
30And setting out from there, they passed through Galilee. And he intended that no one know about it31Then he taught his disciples, and he said to them, "For the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him, and having been killed, on the third day he will rise again.32But they did not understand the word. And they were afraid to question him33And they went to Capernaum. And when they were in the house, he questioned them, "What did you discuss on the way?34But they were silent. For indeed, on the way, they had disputed among themselves as to which of them was greater35And sitting down, he called the twelve, and he said to them, "If anyone wants to be first, he shall be the last of all and the minister of all.36And taking a child, he set him in their midst. And when he had embraced him, he said to them37"Whoever receives one such child in my name, receives me. And whoever receives me, receives not me, but him who sent me.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of trust, humility, and service. In the first reading from Sirach, we are reminded that faith in God is tested in the trials and humiliations of life. Just as gold and silver are purified in fire, so too are our hearts refined through suffering. The passage encourages us to endure patiently, trusting that God’s plan is at work even in the midst of difficulty. This is not a passive resignation but an active surrender, rooted in the belief that God’s mercy and restoration will ultimately prevail.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples about true greatness. After predicting his own death and resurrection, he challenges their ambition by placing a child in their midst. He tells them that to be first, one must be last and serve all. This is a radical reversal of the world’s values, where power and status are measured by dominance rather than service. Jesus’ words remind us that our worth is not in what we achieve but in how we love and serve others, especially the most vulnerable. Welcoming a child in his name is welcoming Jesus himself, and ultimately, the Father who sent him.
These readings call us to live out our faith in two ways: first, by trusting God in the midst of life’s challenges, and second, by embracing humility and service in our relationships with others. In a world that often values strength and self-reliance, Jesus shows us that true strength lies in vulnerability and love. Let us ask ourselves: Do we trust God enough to endure trials with patience and hope? Do we serve others with the humility of Christ, seeing his presence in those around us? May we grow in faith and love, becoming instruments of God’s mercy and compassion in the world.