Daily Readings - Sat Feb 13 2021
Genesis
9And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?10And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.11And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?12And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.13And the LORD God said unto the woman, What is this that thou hast done? And the woman said, The serpent beguiled me, and I did eat.14And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:15And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.16Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.17And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;18Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;19In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.20And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.21Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.22And the LORD God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:23Therefore the LORD God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken.24So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.
Mark
1In those days the multitude being very great, and having nothing to eat, Jesus called his disciples unto him, and saith unto them,2I have compassion on the multitude, because they have now been with me three days, and have nothing to eat:3And if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they will faint by the way: for divers of them came from far.4And his disciples answered him, From whence can a man satisfy these men with bread here in the wilderness?5And he asked them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven.6And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people.7And they had a few small fishes: and he blessed, and commanded to set them also before them.8So they did eat, and were filled: and they took up of the broken meat that was left seven baskets.9And they that had eaten were about four thousand: and he sent them away.10And straightway he entered into a ship with his disciples, and came into the parts of Dalmanutha.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the human condition and God’s response to our needs, both physical and spiritual. In the first reading from Genesis, we witness the aftermath of Adam and Eve’s disobedience in the Garden of Eden. Their sin leads to separation from God, but even in judgment, there is a glimmer of hope. God’s mercy is evident as He provides clothing for Adam and Eve and promises enmity between the serpent and the woman, foreshadowing redemption. This passage reminds us that sin has consequences, but God’s love and care for His creation endure.
In the Gospel, Mark presents a miracle that echoes God’s providence in the Old Testament. Jesus, moved by compassion for the crowd’s hunger, multiplies seven loaves and a few fish to feed over four thousand people. This act of mercy not only satisfies their physical hunger but also points to the deeper spiritual nourishment He offers. Like the crowd, we often find ourselves in situations of scarcity, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. Jesus’ response teaches us to trust in God’s abundance and to seek Him in our needs.
These readings call us to recognize our own vulnerabilities and limitations, just as Adam and Eve acknowledged their sin, and the crowd acknowledged their hunger. They remind us that God’s mercy is always at work, even in the midst of our struggles. Let us turn to Him with humility and trust, knowing that He will provide for us in ways we cannot fully understand. May we also imitate Christ’s compassion by caring for one another’s needs, whether big or small, and may we always remember that true satisfaction comes from Him alone.