Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 13, 2023

First Reading: Genesis 4.1-15, 25

¹Truly, Adam knew his wife Eve, who conceived and gave birth to Cain, saying, "I have obtained a man through God.²And again she gave birth to his brother Abel. But Abel was a pastor of sheep, and Cain was a farmer³Then it happened, after many days, that Cain offered gifts to the Lord, from the fruits of the earth⁴Abel likewise offered from the firstborn of his flock, and from their fat. And the Lord looked with favor on Abel and his gifts⁵Yet in truth, he did not look with favor on Cain and his gifts. And Cain was vehemently angry, and his countenance fell⁶And the Lord said to him: "Why are you angry? And why is your face fallen⁷If you behave well, will you not receive? But if you behave badly, will not sin at once be present at the door? And so its desire will be within you, and you will be dominated by it.⁸And Cain said to his brother Abel, "Let us go outside." And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and he put him to death⁹And the Lord said to Cain, "Where is your brother Abel?" And he responded: "I do not know. Am I my brother’s keeper?¹⁰And he said to him: "What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to me from the land¹¹Now, therefore, you will be cursed upon the land, which opened its mouth and received the blood of your brother at your hand¹²When you work it, it will not give you its fruit; a vagrant and a fugitive shall you be upon the land.¹³And Cain said to the Lord: "My iniquity is too great to deserve kindness¹⁴Behold, you have cast me out this day before the face of the earth, and from your face I will be hidden; and I will be a vagrant and a fugitive on the earth. Therefore, anyone who finds me will kill me.¹⁵And the Lord said to him: "By no means will it be so; rather, whoever would kill Cain, will be punished sevenfold." And the Lord placed a seal upon Cain, so that anyone who found him would not put him to death²⁵Adam also knew his wife again, and she gave birth to a son, and she called his name Seth, saying, "God has given me another offspring, in place of Abel, whom Cain killed.

Psalm 50

Psalms

Chapter 50

¹A Psalm of Asaph. The God of gods, the Lord has spoken, and he has called the earth, from the rising of the sun even to its setting²from Zion, the brilliance of his beauty³God will arrive manifestly. Our God also will not keep silence. A fire will flare up in his sight, and a mighty tempest will surround him⁴He will call to heaven from above, and to the earth, to discern his people⁵Gather his holy ones to him, you who order his covenant above sacrifices⁶And the heavens will announce his justice. For God is the judge⁷Listen, my people, and I will speak. Listen, Israel, and I will testify for you. I am God, your God⁸I will not reprove you for your sacrifices. Moreover, your holocausts are ever in my sight⁹I will not accept calves from your house, nor he-goats from your flocks¹⁰For all the wild beasts of the forest are mine: the cattle on the hills and the oxen¹¹I know all the flying things of the air, and the beauty of the field is with me¹²If I should be hungry, I would not tell you: for the whole world is mine, and all its plentitude¹³Shall I gnaw on the flesh of bulls? Or would I drink the blood of goats¹⁴Offer to God the sacrifice of praise, and pay your vows to the Most High¹⁵And call upon me in the day of tribulation. I will rescue you, and you will honor me¹⁶But to the sinner, God has said: Why do you discourse on my justices, and take up my covenant through your mouth¹⁷Truly, you have hated discipline, and you have cast my sermons behind you¹⁸If you saw a thief, you ran with him, and you have placed your portion with adulterers¹⁹Your mouth has abounded with malice, and your tongue has concocted deceits²⁰Sitting, you spoke against your brother, and you set up a scandal against your mother’s son²¹These things you have done, and I was silent. You thought, unjustly, that I ought to be like you. But I will reprove you, and I will set myself against your face²²Understand these things, you who forget God; lest at any time, he might quickly take you away, and there would be no one to rescue you²³The sacrifice of praise will honor me. And in that place is the journey by which I will reveal to him the salvation of God

Gospel: Mark 8.11-13

Mark

Chapter 8

¹¹And the Pharisees went out and began to contend with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven, testing him¹²And sighing deeply in spirit, he said: "Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, if only a sign will be given to this generation!¹³And sending them away, he climbed into the boat again, and he went away across the sea

Sermon

The first reading from Genesis tells the story of Cain and Abel, the first brothers, whose lives take a tragic turn due to jealousy and anger. Cain, a farmer, becomes envious when God favors Abel's offering over his own. This jealousy leads Cain to commit the first murder, killing his brother Abel. When questioned by God, Cain denies responsibility, and as a result, he is cursed to wander the earth. Yet, even in this darkness, God shows mercy by protecting Cain from harm. The reading reminds us of the consequences of sin and the enduring presence of God's grace, even in the face of human failure. The Gospel reading from Mark presents a different kind of conflict, as the Pharisees challenge Jesus by demanding a sign from heaven. Jesus, sensing their hardness of heart, responds with frustration, declaring that no sign will be given to this generation. This exchange highlights the spiritual blindness of those who refuse to see the signs already present in Jesus' teachings and miracles. Like the Pharisees, we often seek proof or comfort before committing to faith, but Jesus calls us to trust in his word and the works he has already done. Both readings invite us to reflect on the state of our hearts. Cain's story warns us about the dangers of envy and anger, which can lead us away from God and harm others. The Gospel, on the other hand, challenges us to examine our own faith. Are we like the Pharisees, seeking signs instead of trusting in God's presence and providence? Let us ask ourselves: Do we allow jealousy or doubt to cloud our relationship with God? Today, let us turn to God with humble hearts, acknowledging our shortcomings and seeking his mercy. May we learn to trust in his love and live in harmony with one another, avoiding the destructive paths of Cain and the Pharisees.