Daily Readings - Thu Feb 16 2023
Genesis
1And God blessed Noah and his sons. And he said to them: "Increase, and multiply, and fill the earth2And let the fear and trembling of you be upon all the animals of the earth, and upon all the birds of the air, along with all that moves across the earth. All the fish of the sea have been delivered into your hand3And everything that moves and lives will be food for you. Just as with the edible plants, I have delivered them all to you4except that flesh with blood you shall not eat5For I will examine the blood of your lives at the hand of every beast. So also, at the hand of mankind, at the hand of each man and his brother, I will examine the life of mankind6Whoever will shed human blood, his blood will be poured out. For man was indeed made to the image of God7But as for you: increase and multiply, and go forth upon the earth and fulfill it.8To Noah and to his sons with him, God also said this9"Behold, I will establish my covenant with you, and with your offspring after you10and with every living soul that is with you: as much with the birds as with the cattle and all the animals of the earth that have gone forth from the ark, and with all the wild beasts of the earth11I will establish my covenant with you, and no longer will all that is flesh be put to death by the waters of a great flood, and, henceforth, there will not be a great flood to utterly destroy the earth.12And God said: "This is the sign of the pact that I grant between me and you, and to every living soul that is with you, for perpetual generations13I will place my arc in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the pact between myself and the earth
Mark
27And Jesus departed with his disciples into the towns of Caesarea Philippi. And on the way, he questioned his disciples, saying to them, "Who do men say that I am?28And they answered him by saying: "John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others perhaps one of the prophets.29Then he said to them, "Yet truly, who do you say that I am?" Peter responded by saying to him, "You are the Christ.30And he admonished them, not to tell anyone about him31And he began to teach them that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, and by the high priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again32And he spoke the word openly. And Peter, taking him aside, began to correct him33And turning away and looking at his disciples, he admonished Peter, saying, "Get behind me, Satan, for you do not prefer the things that are of God, but the things that are of men.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound moments of divine interaction and human response. The first reading from Genesis describes God's covenant with Noah, promising never again to destroy the earth with a flood, symbolized by the rainbow. This covenant underscores the sanctity of life and God's commitment to His creation. The second reading from Mark presents a pivotal moment in Jesus' ministry where Peter confesses Jesus as the Christ, followed by Jesus' prediction of His passion and Peter's subsequent rebuke, which Jesus meets with a stern reminder to align with divine will over human understanding.
These readings connect through the theme of covenant and faith. In Genesis, God establishes a covenant of protection and renewal, while in Mark, Jesus reveals the nature of His mission, calling His followers to embrace the cross. Both narratives challenge us to trust in God's promises, even when they lead to unexpected or difficult paths.
In our daily lives, we are invited to reflect on our own faith journey. Like Noah, we must trust in God's promises, even when the future seems uncertain. Like Peter, we may stumble when God's will doesn't align with our expectations, but we are called to move beyond human limitations and embrace God's plan. Let us consider where we might be called to greater trust and self-denial, aligning our will with God's, and finding the courage to follow Him, even in the face of suffering. May we, like the rainbow, become signs of hope and renewal in a world in need.