Daily Readings - Thu Feb 11 2021
Genesis
18The Lord God also said: "It is not good for the man to be alone. Let us make a helper for him similar to himself.19Therefore, the Lord God, having formed from the soil all the animals of the earth and all the flying creatures of the air, brought them to Adam, in order to see what he would call them. For whatever Adam would call any living creature, that would be its name20And Adam called each of the living things by their names: all the flying creatures of the air, and all the wild beasts of the land. Yet truly, for Adam, there was not found a helper similar to himself21And so the Lord God sent a deep sleep upon Adam. And when he was fast asleep, he took one of his ribs, and he completed it with flesh for it22And the Lord God built up the rib, which he took from Adam, into a woman. And he led her to Adam23And Adam said: "Now this is bone from my bones, and flesh from my flesh. This one shall be called woman, because she was taken from man.24For this reason, a man shall leave behind his father and mother, and he shall cling to his wife; and the two shall be as one flesh25Now they were both naked: Adam, of course, and his wife. And they were not ashamed
Mark
24And rising up, he went from there to the area of Tyre and Sidon. And entering into a house, he intended no one to know about it, but he was not able to remain hidden25For a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit, as soon as she heard about him, entered and fell prostrate at his feet26For the woman was a Gentile, by birth a Syro-Phoenician. And she petitioned him, so that he would cast the demon from her daughter27And he said to her: "First allow the sons to have their fill. For it is not good to take away the bread of the sons and throw it to the dogs.28But she responded by saying to him: "Certainly, Lord. Yet the young dogs also eat, under the table, from the crumbs of the children.29And he said to her, "Because of this saying, go; the demon has gone out of your daughter.30And when she had gone to her house, she found the girl lying on the bed; and the demon had gone away
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of relationship, trust, and God’s providence. In the first reading from Genesis, we hear the story of the creation of Eve, the first woman, as a companion for Adam. This passage emphasizes the beauty of human relationship and the complementarity of man and woman, created in the image and likeness of God. It also highlights the importance of partnership and mutual support in human life. The account of Adam and Eve reminds us that we are not meant to be alone but to live in communion with others, reflecting the communal nature of God Himself.
In the Gospel, we encounter a very different kind of relationship—that between Jesus and a Gentile woman from Syro-Phoenicia. This woman, desperate to save her daughter from a demon, approaches Jesus with persistence and humility. Despite initial hesitation from Jesus, her faith and trust in His power prevail, and her daughter is healed. This story shows us that God’s love is not limited to one group of people but extends to all, and it challenges us to have the same kind of bold and trusting faith in God’s providence, even when the odds seem against us.
Both readings remind us of the importance of relationships and trust in our lives. Just as Adam found a helper in Eve, and just as the Syro-Phoenician woman trusted in Jesus’ power, we too are called to cultivate relationships of love and support, and to place our trust in God’s plan for us. In a world that often values independence and self-reliance, these readings invite us to embrace our need for one another and to approach God with humility and perseverance. Let us ask for the grace to trust in God’s goodness and to build relationships that reflect His love and care for all people.