Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 24, 2022
First Reading: James 5.1-6
1Come now, you rich, weep and howl for the miseries that are coming upon you.2Your riches have rotted and your garments are moth-eaten.3Your gold and silver have corroded, and their corrosion will be evidence against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have laid up treasure in the last days.4Behold, the wages of the laborers who mowed your fields, which you kept back by fraud, are crying out against you, and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.5You have lived on the earth in luxury and in self-indulgence. You have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.6You have condemned; you have murdered the righteous person. He does not resist you.
Psalm 49
1Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,2both low and high, rich and poor together!3My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.4I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.5Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,6those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?7Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life,8for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice,9that he should live on forever and never see the pit.10For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others.11Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names.12Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.13This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah14Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.15But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah16Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases.17For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.18For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed,--and though you get praise when you do well for yourself--19his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light.20Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
Gospel: Mark 9.41-50
41For truly, I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ will by no means lose his reward.42"Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.43And if your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.44See Footnote45And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life lame than with two feet to be thrown into hell.46See Footnote47And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell,48'where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.'49For everyone will be salted with fire.50Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."
Sermon
The readings today challenge us to reflect on how we live our lives in relation to God and others. In the first reading from James, we hear a stern warning to those who have exploited others for wealth and comfort. James condemns the corruption of riches and the injustice of withholding fair pay from workers, emphasizing that such actions store up wrath for the last days. This passage reminds us that earthly wealth is fleeting and that our actions have eternal consequences. James calls us to live with integrity, treating others justly and not allowing our desires for luxury to lead us astray.
In the Gospel, Mark presents Jesus teaching about the seriousness of sin and the importance of caring for others, especially the vulnerable. Jesus warns that causing scandal to one of the "little ones" is a grave offense, and He uses dramatic imagery—cutting off one’s hand, foot, or plucking out one’s eye—to emphasize the need to avoid sin at all costs. This teaching is not about literal self-mutilation but about the radical commitment required to live a life pleasing to God. Jesus also reminds us that we are called to be "salt" for the world, preserving and seasoning it with love, compassion, and justice.
Together, these readings call us to examine our priorities and actions. James urges us to avoid exploitation and greed, while Mark challenges us to live with moral integrity and care for the vulnerable. In our daily lives, this means being mindful of how our choices affect others, especially those who are marginalized or oppressed. It means living simply, treating others justly, and being willing to sacrifice our own desires for the sake of living a virtuous life. Let us strive to be salt in the world, preserving the dignity of all people and reflecting the love of God in all we do.