Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 13, 2024
First Reading: James 1.12-18
12Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.13Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.14But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.15Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.16Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.17Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.18Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Psalm 94
1O LORD, God of vengeance, O God of vengeance, shine forth!2Rise up, O judge of the earth; repay to the proud what they deserve!3O LORD, how long shall the wicked, how long shall the wicked exult?4They pour out their arrogant words; all the evildoers boast.5They crush your people, O LORD, and afflict your heritage.6They kill the widow and the sojourner, and murder the fatherless;7and they say, "The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob does not perceive."8Understand, O dullest of the people! Fools, when will you be wise?9He who planted the ear, does he not hear? He who formed the eye, does he not see?10He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke? He who teaches man knowledge--11the LORD--knows the thoughts of man, that they are but a breath.12Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD, and whom you teach out of your law,13to give him rest from days of trouble, until a pit is dug for the wicked.14For the LORD will not forsake his people; he will not abandon his heritage;15for justice will return to the righteous, and all the upright in heart will follow it.16Who rises up for me against the wicked? Who stands up for me against evildoers?17If the LORD had not been my help, my soul would soon have lived in the land of silence.18When I thought, "My foot slips," your steadfast love, O LORD, held me up.19When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.20Can wicked rulers be allied with you, those who frame injustice by statute?21They band together against the life of the righteous and condemn the innocent to death.22But the LORD has become my stronghold, and my God the rock of my refuge.23He will bring back on them their iniquity and wipe them out for their wickedness; the LORD our God will wipe them out.
Gospel: Mark 8.14-21
14Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.15And he cautioned them, saying, "Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."16And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread.17And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?18Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?19When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?" They said to him, "Twelve."20"And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?" And they said to him, "Seven."21And he said to them, "Do you 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.