Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 19, 2019
First Reading: Genesis 6.5-8; 7.1-5, 10
5And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.6And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.7And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them.8But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
1And the LORD said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation.2Of every clean beast thou shalt take to thee by sevens, the male and his female: and of beasts that are not clean by two, the male and his female.3Of fowls also of the air by sevens, the male and the female; to keep seed alive upon the face of all the earth.4For yet seven days, and I will cause it to rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights; and every living substance that I have made will I destroy from off the face of the earth.5And Noah did according unto all that the LORD commanded him.10And it came to pass after seven days, that the waters of the flood were upon the earth.
Psalm 29
1Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength.2Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.3The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters.4The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.5The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon.6He maketh them also to skip like a calf; Lebanon and Sirion like a young unicorn.7The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire.8The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.9The voice of the LORD maketh the hinds to calve, and discovereth the forests: and in his temple doth every one speak of his glory.10The LORD sitteth upon the flood; yea, the LORD sitteth King for ever.11The LORD will give strength unto his people; the LORD will bless his people with peace.
Gospel: Mark 8.14-21
14Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf.15And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod.16And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread.17And when Jesus knew it, he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened?18Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?19When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? They say unto him, Twelve.20And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took ye up? And they said, Seven.21And he said unto them, How is it that ye do not understand?
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound narratives that invite us to reflect on faith, judgment, and divine providence. The first reading from Genesis recounts the story of Noah's Ark, a tale of God's sorrow over humanity's wickedness and His decision to send a flood. Yet, amidst this judgment, Noah's righteousness shines through, as he is chosen to preserve life, illustrating God's mercy and plan for salvation. The Gospel from Mark presents Jesus cautioning His disciples against the corrupting influence of the Pharisees and Herod, using leaven as a metaphor. He then questions their lack of understanding, referencing the miracles of the loaves to emphasize trust in God's provision.
Both readings share a common thread of judgment and salvation. In Genesis, God's judgment is tempered with mercy, as Noah's obedience provides a path to salvation. Similarly, in Mark, Jesus warns against spiritual corruption, urging the disciples to have faith and discernment. The feeding miracles serve as reminders of God's abundance and provision, encouraging the disciples to look beyond physical needs to spiritual truths.
Applying these lessons to our lives, we are called to trust in God's plan, even when circumstances seem uncertain. Like Noah, we must be vigilant and obedient, ensuring our actions align with God's will. The readings remind us to guard against spiritual corruption and to cultivate faith, recognizing God's presence and provision in our lives. May we, like Noah, find grace through our faith and, like the disciples, grow in understanding and trust in God's divine plan.