Daily Readings - Fri Feb 18 2022
James
14What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?15If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food,16and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and filled," without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?17So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.18But someone will say, "You have faith and I have works." Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.19You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe--and shudder!20Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?21Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?22You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works;23and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness"--and he was called a friend of God.24You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.26For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.
Mark
34And he called to him the crowd with his disciples and said to them, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.35For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.36For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?37For what can a man give in return for his life?38For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."
Sermon
The readings today remind us that faith is not merely a belief in God, but a way of life that must be expressed through our actions. In the first reading from James, we hear that faith without works is dead. James challenges us to consider whether our faith is merely an intellectual assent or if it is lived out in tangible ways. He uses the example of Abraham, who demonstrated his faith through his willingness to obey God even when it seemed impossible. This emphasizes that true faith is not just about what we say we believe, but about how we live out those beliefs in our daily lives.
In the Gospel, Jesus takes this idea a step further by calling us to deny ourselves and take up our cross. He makes it clear that following Him requires sacrifice and a willingness to put His will above our own desires. Jesus warns that if we are ashamed of Him and His teachings, He will be ashamed of us when He comes in glory. This is a powerful reminder that our faith must be visible and courageous, even in the face of adversity. The readings together emphasize that faith is not a passive state, but an active commitment to living according to God's will.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How am I living out my faith? Am I merely going through the motions, or am I truly denying myself and following Christ? Let us strive to be like Abraham, whose faith was brought to fulfillment through his actions. Let us also remember that following Christ requires sacrifice, but it is through that sacrifice that we find true life. May we be bold in living out our faith, trusting that God will bring it to fulfillment in ways we cannot yet see.