Daily Readings - Tue Feb 09 2021
Genesis
20And then God said, "Let the waters produce animals with a living soul, and flying creatures above the earth, under the firmament of heaven.21And God created the great sea creatures, and everything with a living soul and the ability to move that the waters produced, according to their species, and all the flying creatures, according to their kind. And God saw that it was good22And he blessed them, saying: "Increase and multiply, and fill the waters of the sea. And let the birds be multiplied above the land.23And it became evening and morning, the fifth day24God also said, "Let the land produce living souls in their kind: cattle, and animals, and wild beasts of the earth, according to their species." And so it became25And God made the wild beasts of the earth according to their species, and the cattle, and every animal on the land, according to its kind. And God saw that it was good26And he said: "Let us make Man to our image and likeness. And let him rule over the fish of the sea, and the flying creatures of the air, and the wild beasts, and the entire earth, and every animal that moves on the earth.27And God created man to his own image; to the image of God he created him; male and female, he created them28And God blessed them, and he said, "Increase and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and the flying creatures of the air, and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.29And God said: "Behold, I have given you every seed-bearing plant upon the earth, and all the trees that have in themselves the ability to sow their own kind, to be food for you30and for all the animals of the land, and for all the flying things of the air, and for everything that moves upon the earth and in which there is a living soul, so that they may have these on which to feed." And so it became31And God saw everything that he had made. And they were very good. And it became evening and morning, the sixth day
1And so the heavens and the earth were completed, with all their adornment2And on the seventh day, God fulfilled his work, which he had made. And on the seventh day he rested from all his work, which he had accomplished3And he blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. For in it, he had ceased from all his work: the work whereby God created whatever he should make4These are the generations of heaven and earth, when they were created, in the day when the Lord God made heaven and earth
Mark
1And the Pharisees and some of the scribes, arriving from Jerusalem, gathered together before him2And when they had seen certain ones from his disciples eating bread with common hands, that is, with unwashed hands, they disparaged them3For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat without repeatedly washing their hands, holding to the tradition of the elders4And when returning from the market, unless they wash, they do not eat. And there are many other things which have been handed down to them to observe: the washings of cups, and pitchers, and bronze containers, and beds5And so the Pharisees and the scribes questioned him: "Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but they eat bread with common hands?6But in response, he said to them: "So well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, just as it has been written: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me7And in vain do they worship me, teaching the doctrines and precepts of men.8For abandoning the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men, to the washing of pitchers and cups. And you do many other things similar to these.9And he said to them: "You effectively nullify the precept of God, so that you may observe your own tradition10For Moses said: ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever will have cursed father or mother, let him die a death.11But you say, ‘If a man will have said to his father or mother: Korban, (which is a gift) whatever is from me will be to your benefit,12then you do not release him to do anything for his father or mother13rescinding the word of God through your tradition, which you have handed down. And you do many other similar things in this way.
Sermon
The first reading from Genesis describes the creation of the world, highlighting God’s deliberate and orderly craftsmanship. We hear how God brought forth life in the waters, in the air, and on the land, culminating in the creation of humanity in his own image and likeness. The passage emphasizes God’s satisfaction with his work, as he declares everything “very good.” The seventh day is then set apart as a day of rest, a sacred pause to honor the completion of creation. This reading invites us to reflect on the beauty and dignity of God’s creation, as well as our role as stewards of the earth and all its creatures.
The Gospel reading from Mark presents a stark contrast to the harmony of creation described in Genesis. Here, Jesus confronts the Pharisees and scribes, who are more concerned with human traditions, such as ritual washings, than with the true spirit of God’s law. Jesus accuses them of hypocrisy, quoting Isaiah to emphasize that their worship is empty when their hearts are far from God. He criticizes their tendency to prioritize human traditions over God’s commandments, even using the example of how they evade caring for their parents by invoking religious obligations. This reading challenges us to examine whether our actions and traditions align with God’s will or merely serve our own interests.
Together, these readings remind us that our relationship with God and with others must be rooted in authenticity and love. While the creation story shows us the goodness of God’s design, the Gospel warns us against allowing human inventions to overshadow the heart of God’s law. In our daily lives, we are called to live in harmony with creation, to respect the dignity of all beings, and to ensure that our spiritual practices lead us closer to God, not further away. Let us ask ourselves: Are we honoring God with our lips but keeping our hearts far from him? Do our traditions and habits reflect a genuine love for God and for others? May we strive to live in a way that truly reflects the image and likeness of God, who created us and calls us to rest in him.