Daily Readings - Fri Feb 17 2023
Genesis
1Now the earth was of one language and of the same speech2And when they were advancing from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar, and they dwelt in it3And each one said to his neighbor, "Come, let us make bricks, and bake them with fire." And they had bricks instead of stones, and pitch instead of mortar4And they said: "Come, let us make a city and a tower, so that its height may reach to heaven. And let us make our name famous before we are divided into all the lands.5Then the Lord descended to see the city and the tower, which the sons of Adam were building6And he said: "Behold, the people are united, and all have one tongue. And since they have begun to do this, they will not desist from their plans, until they have completed their work7Therefore, come, let us descend, and in that place confound their tongue, so that they may not listen, each one to the voice of his neighbor.8And so the Lord divided them from that place into all the lands, and they ceased to build the city9And for this reason, its name was called ‘Babel,’ because in that place the language of the whole earth became confused. And from then on, the Lord scattered them across the face of every region
Mark
34And calling together the crowd with his disciples, he said to them, "If anyone chooses to follow me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me35For whoever will have chosen to save his life, will lose it. But whoever will have lost his life, for my sake and for the Gospel, shall save it36For how does it benefit a man, if he gains the whole world, and yet causes harm to his soul37Or, what will a man give in exchange for his soul38For whoever has been ashamed of me and of my words, among this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of man also will be ashamed of him, when he will arrive in the glory of his Father, with the holy Angels.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on human ambition and the call to follow Christ. The first reading from Genesis recounts the story of the Tower of Babel, where humanity, united in language and purpose, sought to build a tower that would reach the heavens. This story is often seen as a cautionary tale about pride and the dangers of unchecked ambition. The people of Babel were driven by a desire to make a name for themselves and to avoid being scattered across the earth. However, their efforts were thwarted when God confounded their language, scattering them and halting their project. This story reminds us that while human ingenuity and collaboration can achieve great things, they must always be tempered by humility and a recognition of our limitations.
In the Gospel, Mark presents us with a very different kind of challenge. Jesus calls his followers to embrace a life of self-denial and to take up their cross in order to follow him. This is not a call to self-destruction or masochism, but rather an invitation to reorient our lives around the values of the kingdom of God. Jesus warns that those who seek to save their lives on their own terms will ultimately lose them, while those who are willing to lose their lives for his sake and for the sake of the Gospel will find true life. This teaching is both provocative and profound, challenging us to think about what it means to live as disciples of Christ in a world that often values power, status, and comfort above all else.
These readings invite us to reflect on the nature of true fulfillment and the cost of discipleship. While the people of Babel sought to find meaning and security in their own achievements, Jesus calls us to find our true selves in surrendering to God's will. This does not mean that we should abandon our ambitions or contributions to the world, but rather that we should ground them in a deeper sense of purpose and humility. As we go about our daily lives, we are called to examine our priorities and to ask whether we are building our lives on the shifting sands of human pride or on the rock of faith in God. Let us strive to follow Christ with courage and integrity, trusting that in losing ourselves for his sake, we will find the abundant life he promises.