Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 17, 2022
First Reading: James 2.1-9
1My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.2For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;3And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:4Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?5Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?6But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?7Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?8If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:9But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
Psalm 34
1I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.2My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.3O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.4I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.5They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.6This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.7The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.8O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.9O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him.10The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing.11Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.12What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?13Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.14Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.15The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.16The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.17The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.18The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.19Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.20He keepeth all his bones: not one of them is broken.21Evil shall slay the wicked: and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.22The LORD redeemeth the soul of his servants: and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.
Gospel: Mark 8.27-33
27And Jesus went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Caesarea Philippi: and by the way he asked his disciples, saying unto them, Whom do men say that I am?28And they answered, John the Baptist: but some say, Elias; and others, One of the prophets.29And he saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Peter answereth and saith unto him, Thou art the Christ.30And he charged them that they should tell no man of him.31And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.32And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him.33But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of faith, discipleship, and the call to live according to God’s will. In the first reading from James, we are reminded that true faith is not about outward appearances or showing favoritism, but about living out the royal law: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” James challenges us to examine how we treat others, especially the poor and the marginalized, for it is in our actions toward them that we reveal whether our faith is genuine. The second reading from Mark’s Gospel shifts our focus to the identity of Jesus and the cost of following Him. Peter’s confession that Jesus is the Christ is a moment of great faith, but it is quickly followed by a misunderstanding of what it means for Jesus to be the Messiah. Jesus teaches His disciples that His path is one of suffering, rejection, and ultimately resurrection, and He calls them—and us—to embrace this same path of self-denial and fidelity to God’s plan.
The two readings are connected by the theme of living out one’s faith in a way that aligns with God’s will, rather than our own preferences or worldly standards. James warns against the temptation to judge others based on appearances or social status, while Mark highlights the temptation to follow a version of Christianity that avoids the cross. Both readings call us to humility, self-awareness, and a willingness to let go of our own agendas in order to follow God’s plan. This is not always easy, as Peter’s reaction shows, but it is essential for true discipleship.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to examine how we treat others and how we understand our relationship with God. Do we show favoritism or judge others unfairly? Are we willing to embrace the sacrifices and challenges that come with following Christ? The moral lesson here is clear: our faith must be lived out in love, humility, and a commitment to God’s will, even when it leads us to places we would rather not go. Let us ask for the grace to see others as God sees them and to follow Jesus with courage and fidelity, trusting that His plan, though difficult, leads to true life and resurrection.