Daily Readings - Wed Feb 19 2025

⁶And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made:⁷And he sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth.⁸Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground;⁹But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark.¹⁰And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark;¹¹And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.¹²And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more.¹³And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry.²⁰And Noah builded an altar unto the LORD; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.²¹And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.²²While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

Mark

Chapter 8

²²And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him.²³And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought.²⁴And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking.²⁵After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.²⁶And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on trust, patience, and the gradual unfolding of God's plan. The first reading from Genesis describes Noah's experience after the flood, where he waits patiently for the waters to recede. Noah's actions—sending out the raven and the dove—demonstrate his trust in God's promise. The dove's return with an olive branch is a symbol of hope and new life, leading Noah to build an altar and offer sacrifices in gratitude. This passage reminds us of the importance of patience and trust in God's timing, even in uncertain circumstances. The Gospel from Mark complements this theme with the story of the blind man healed by Jesus in Bethsaida. The healing is not instantaneous; it happens in stages. Jesus touches the man's eyes twice, and only after the second touch does the man see clearly. This narrative suggests that spiritual growth and healing can be gradual processes. Just as the blind man had to trust Jesus through the process, we too are called to trust in God's plan, even when the results are not immediate or clear. These readings encourage us to embrace patience and trust in our own lives. Like Noah, we may find ourselves in situations where we must wait for clarity or resolution. Like the blind man, we may experience growth in stages, with moments of partial understanding before full clarity comes. Let us learn to trust in God's timing and to remain faithful, even when the journey is slow or uncertain. In doing so, we open ourselves to the hope of new life and the promise of eventual clarity, just as Noah and the blind man experienced.