Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 13, 2024
First Reading: James 1.12-18
12Blessed is the man who suffers temptation. For when he has been proven, he shall receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him13No one should say, when he is tempted, that he was tempted by God. For God does not entice toward evils, and he himself tempts no one14Yet truly, each one is tempted by his own desires, having been enticed and drawn away15Thereafter, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin. Yet truly sin, when it has been consummated, produces death16And so, do not choose to go astray, my most beloved brothers17Every excellent gift and every perfect gift is from above, descending from the Father of lights, with whom there is no change, nor any shadow of alteration18For by his own will he produced us through the Word of truth, so that we might be a kind of beginning among his creatures
Psalm 94
1A Psalm of David himself. The Fourth Sabbath. The Lord is the God of retribution. The God of retribution acts in order to deliver2Lift yourself up, for you judge the earth. Repay the arrogant with retribution3How long will sinners, O Lord, how long will sinners glory4How long will they utter and speak iniquity? How long will all who work injustice speak out5They have humiliated your people, O Lord, and they have harassed your inheritance6They have executed the widow and the new arrival, and they have slaughtered the orphan7And they have said, "The Lord will not see, nor will the God of Jacob understand.8Understand, you senseless ones among the people. And be wise at last, you foolish ones9He who formed the ear, will he not hear? And he who forged the eye, does he not look closely10He who chastises nations, he who teaches man knowledge, will he not rebuke11The Lord knows the thoughts of men: that these are in vain12Blessed is the man whom you will instruct, O Lord. And you will teach him from your law13So may you soothe him from the evil days, until a pit may be dug for sinners14For the Lord will not drive away his people, and he will not abandon his inheritance15even until the time when justice is being converted into judgment, and when those who are close to justice are all those who are upright of heart16Who will rise up with me against the malignant? Or who will stand with me against the workers of iniquity17Except that the Lord assisted me, my soul almost would have dwelt in Hell18If ever I said, "My foot is slipping," then your mercy, O Lord, assisted me19According to the multitude of my sorrows in my heart, your consolations have given joy to my soul20Does the seat of iniquity adhere to you, you who contrive hardship within a commandment21They will hunt down the soul of the just, and they will condemn innocent blood22And the Lord has been made into a refuge for me, and my God into the assistance of my hope23And he will repay them their iniquity, and he will destroy them in their malice. The Lord our God will utterly destroy them
Gospel: Mark 8.14-21
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 readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of temptation, discernment, and the generosity of God. In the first reading from James, we are reminded that temptation does not come from God but from our own desires, which can lead us astray. James encourages us to recognize that every good gift comes from God, who is unchanging and true. This passage calls us to be mindful of the sources of our desires and to seek God’s wisdom in navigating life’s challenges.
In the Gospel, Mark presents a scene where Jesus warns his disciples against the "leaven of the Pharisees and Herod," which symbolizes hypocrisy and worldly influence. The disciples, preoccupied with their lack of bread, fail to grasp the deeper spiritual lesson. Jesus reminds them of the miracles of the loaves, pointing out their spiritual blindness. This passage challenges us to look beyond the superficial concerns of daily life and to trust in God’s providence and wisdom.
Together, these readings remind us to be vigilant about the influences in our lives and to seek God’s truth. Like the disciples, we often miss the deeper meaning of God’s presence in our lives, focusing instead on immediate concerns. Let us ask for the grace to discern the sources of our desires and to trust in God’s generosity. May we, like James encourages, be doers of the Word, living with integrity and faith in the midst of life’s temptations.