Daily Readings - Fri Feb 21 2025
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 profound lessons about human ambition and divine humility. The first reading from Genesis recounts the story of the Tower of Babel, where humanity, united by one language, sought to build a tower that would reach the heavens. Driven by pride and a desire for self-glorification, they aimed to make a name for themselves. However, God, seeing their arrogance, confused their languages and scattered them across the earth. This story reminds us of the dangers of pride and the limits of human achievement when it is not grounded in humility and trust in God.
In the Gospel, Jesus presents a stark contrast to the self-exaltation of Babel. He calls His disciples—and us—to embrace a life of self-denial and cross-bearing. True discipleship, He teaches, requires surrendering our own ambitions and desires for the sake of following Him. Jesus warns that those who cling to their lives will lose them, while those who lose their lives for His sake will find true life. This teaching is both a challenge and a promise: it invites us to let go of our need for control and recognition, and instead, to trust in God’s plan and timing.
These readings remind us that our lives are not about building towers to our own glory but about building our relationship with God. Like the people of Babel, we often try to construct our own sense of security and identity apart from God. Yet, Jesus shows us that true fulfillment comes not from self-reliance but from humility and faith. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Where am I trying to build my own tower? Where am I holding onto pride or control? May we instead choose to follow Christ, carrying our crosses with trust and hope, knowing that in losing ourselves for His sake, we will find true life.