Daily Readings - Sun Feb 18 2024
Genesis
8Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him,9"Behold, I establish my covenant with you and your offspring after you,10and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the livestock, and every beast of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark; it is for every beast of the earth.11I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth."12And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations:13I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.14When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds,15I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.
1 Peter
18For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit,19in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison,20because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water.21Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.
Mark
12The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.13And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the angels were ministering to him.14Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,15and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through the narrative of God's covenant, salvation, and the call to repentance. The first reading from Genesis recounts God's promise to Noah, establishing a covenant symbolized by the rainbow, a sign of mercy and divine commitment. This covenant represents God's promise to never again destroy the earth with a flood, offering hope and renewal.
The second reading from 1 Peter bridges this ancient covenant with the new covenant through Christ. It highlights how Christ's death and resurrection offer salvation, drawing a parallel between the flood and baptism. Just as Noah's ark saved a few, baptism saves us, transforming water from a symbol of destruction to one of salvation. Christ's triumph over death and His role in granting eternal life underscore the fulfillment of God's plan.
In the Gospel, Mark describes Jesus' temptation in the wilderness and the beginning of His ministry. After withstanding temptation, Jesus calls us to repentance and faith, embodying the fulfillment of God's covenant. This call to repentance invites us to reflect on our lives, trusting in God's promises and responding with faith. Just as Jesus faced temptation, we too can find strength in our struggles, trusting in God's grace.
In our daily lives, we are called to live out our baptismal commitment, trusting in God's covenant and responding to His call. Let us embrace the transformation offered through Christ, facing our challenges with faith and repentance, and living as witnesses to God's enduring love.