Daily Readings - Tue Feb 14 2023
Genesis
5Then God, seeing that the wickedness of men was great upon the earth and that every thought of their heart was intent upon evil at all times6repented that he had made man on the earth. And being touched inwardly with a sorrow of heart7he said, "I will eliminate man, whom I have created, from the face of the earth, from man to other living things, from animals even to the flying things of the air. For it grieves me that I have made them.8Yet truly, Noah found grace before the Lord
1And the Lord said to him: "Enter the ark, you and all your house. For I have seen you to be just in my sight, within this generation2From all the clean animals, take seven and seven, the male and the female. Yet truly, from animals that are unclean, take two and two, the male and the female3But also from the birds of the air, take seven and seven, the male and the female, so that offspring may be saved upon the face of the whole earth4For from that point, and after seven days, I will rain upon the earth for forty days and forty nights. And I will wipe away every substance that I have made, from the surface of the earth.5Therefore, Noah did all things just as the Lord had commanded him10And when seven days had passed, the waters of the great flood inundated the earth
Mark
14And they forgot to take bread. And they did not have any with them in the boat, except one loaf15And he instructed them, saying: "Consider and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the leaven of Herod.16And they discussed this with one another, saying, "For we have no bread.17And Jesus, knowing this, said to them: "Why do you consider that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet know or understand? Do you still have blindness in your heart18Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? Do you not remember19when I broke the five loves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments you took up?" They said to him, "Twelve.20"And when the seven loaves were among the four thousand, how many baskets of fragments did you take up?" And they said to him, "Seven.21And he said to them, "How is it that you do not yet understand?
Sermon
The first reading from Genesis presents a somber scene of God’s sorrow over humanity’s corruption. The text describes how the wickedness of humanity grieved God’s heart, leading Him to decide to send a flood to cleanse the earth. Yet, amidst this judgment, Noah stands out as a righteous man who finds grace in God’s eyes. The passage then details God’s instructions to Noah to build an ark and save himself, his family, and representatives of every living creature. This narrative sets the stage for a story of destruction and salvation, highlighting the tension between God’s justice and His mercy.
The Gospel reading from Mark shifts the focus to Jesus’ interaction with His disciples. After forgetting to bring bread, the disciples begin to worry, and Jesus uses this moment to warn them against the “leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” This metaphor refers to the corrupting influence of hypocrisy and worldly power. Jesus then reminds the disciples of the miracles of the loaves—the feeding of the 5,000 and the 4,000—questioning why they still fail to understand the deeper spiritual reality at work. This exchange reveals the disciples’ spiritual blindness and Jesus’ patient yet persistent call to faith.
Both readings invite us to reflect on trust and perception. In Genesis, Noah’s obedience to God’s command, despite the enormity of the task, exemplifies unwavering faith in the face of uncertainty. Similarly, in Mark, Jesus calls the disciples—and us—to look beyond the surface of things and to trust in God’s providence. In our daily lives, we often face moments of doubt or confusion, but these readings remind us to remain vigilant against the “leaven” of sin and to trust in God’s plan, even when the path ahead seems unclear. Let us strive to deepen our faith, just as Noah trusted God’s Word, and to see beyond the physical to the spiritual realities that truly sustain us.