Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 24, 2022
First Reading: James 5.1-6
1Act now, you who are wealthy! Weep and wail in your miseries, which will soon come upon you2Your riches have been corrupted, and your garments have been eaten by moths3Your gold and silver have rusted, and their rust will be a testimony against you, and it will eat away at your flesh like fire. You have stored up wrath for yourselves unto the last days4Consider the pay of the workers who reaped your fields: it has been misappropriated by you; it cries out. And their cry has entered into the ears of the Lord of hosts5You have feasted upon the earth, and you have nourished your hearts with luxuries, unto the day of slaughter6You led away and killed the Just One, and he did not resist you
Psalm 49
1Unto the end. A Psalm to the sons of Korah. Hear these things, all nations. Pay attention, all inhabitants of the world2whoever is earth-born, you sons of men, together as one, the rich and the poor3My mouth will speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will speak prudence4I will incline my ear to a parable. I will open my case with the psaltery5Why should I fear in the evil day? The iniquity at my heel will surround me6Those who trust in their own strength and who glory in the multitude of their riches7no brother redeems, nor will man buy back. He will not give to God his appeasement8nor the price for the redemption of his soul. And he will labor continuously9and he will still live, until the end10He will not see death, when he sees the wise dying: the foolish and the senseless will perish together. And they will leave their riches to strangers11And their sepulchers will be their houses forever, their tabernacles from generation to generation. They have called their names in their own lands12And man, when he was held in honor, did not understand. He has been compared to the senseless beasts, and he has become like them13This way of theirs is a scandal to them. And afterwards, they will delight in their mouth14They have been placed in Hell like sheep. Death will feed on them. And the just will have dominion over them in the morning. And their help will grow old in Hell for their glory15Even so, truly God will redeem my soul from the hand of Hell, when he will receive me16Do not be afraid, when a man will have been made rich, and when the glory of his house will have been multiplied17For when he dies, he will take nothing away, and his glory will not descend with him18For his soul will be blessed in his lifetime, and he will admit to you when you do good to him19He will even enter with the progeny of his fathers, but, even in eternity, he will not see the light20Man, when he was in honor, did not understand. He has been compared to the senseless beasts, and he has become like them
Gospel: Mark 9.41-50
41For whoever, in my name, will give you a cup of water to drink, because you belong to Christ: Amen I say to you, he shall not lose his reward42And whoever will have scandalized one of these little ones who believe in me: it would be better for him if a great millstone were placed around his neck and he were thrown into the sea43And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off: it is better for you to enter into life disabled, than having two hands to go into Hell, into the unquenchable fire44where their worm does not die, and the fire is not extinguished45But if your foot causes you to sin, chop it off: it is better for you to enter into eternal life lame, than having two feet to be cast into the Hell of unquenchable fire46where their worm does not die, and the fire is not extinguished47But if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out: it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into the Hell of fire48where their worm does not die, and the fire is not extinguished49For all shall be salted with fire, and every victim shall be salted with salt50Salt is good: but if the salt has become bland, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace among yourselves.
Sermon
The readings today challenge us to reflect on how we live our lives in relation to God and others. In the first reading from James, we hear a stern warning to those who have exploited others for wealth and comfort. James condemns the corruption of riches and the injustice of withholding fair pay from workers, emphasizing that such actions store up wrath for the last days. This passage reminds us that earthly wealth is fleeting and that our actions have eternal consequences. James calls us to live with integrity, treating others justly and not allowing our desires for luxury to lead us astray.
In the Gospel, Mark presents Jesus teaching about the seriousness of sin and the importance of caring for others, especially the vulnerable. Jesus warns that causing scandal to one of the "little ones" is a grave offense, and He uses dramatic imagery—cutting off one’s hand, foot, or plucking out one’s eye—to emphasize the need to avoid sin at all costs. This teaching is not about literal self-mutilation but about the radical commitment required to live a life pleasing to God. Jesus also reminds us that we are called to be "salt" for the world, preserving and seasoning it with love, compassion, and justice.
Together, these readings call us to examine our priorities and actions. James urges us to avoid exploitation and greed, while Mark challenges us to live with moral integrity and care for the vulnerable. In our daily lives, this means being mindful of how our choices affect others, especially those who are marginalized or oppressed. It means living simply, treating others justly, and being willing to sacrifice our own desires for the sake of living a virtuous life. Let us strive to be salt in the world, preserving the dignity of all people and reflecting the love of God in all we do.