Daily Readings - Fri Feb 21 2025
Genesis
1And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.2And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.3And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.4And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.5And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.6And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.7Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.8So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.9Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
Mark
34And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.35For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.36For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?37Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?38Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two profound lessons about human ambition and divine humility. The first reading from Genesis recounts the story of the Tower of Babel, where humanity, united by one language, sought to build a tower that would reach the heavens. Driven by pride and a desire for self-glorification, they aimed to make a name for themselves. However, God, seeing their arrogance, confused their languages and scattered them across the earth. This story reminds us of the dangers of pride and the limits of human achievement when it is not grounded in humility and trust in God.
In the Gospel, Jesus presents a stark contrast to the self-exaltation of Babel. He calls His disciples—and us—to embrace a life of self-denial and cross-bearing. True discipleship, He teaches, requires surrendering our own ambitions and desires for the sake of following Him. Jesus warns that those who cling to their lives will lose them, while those who lose their lives for His sake will find true life. This teaching is both a challenge and a promise: it invites us to let go of our need for control and recognition, and instead, to trust in God’s plan and timing.
These readings remind us that our lives are not about building towers to our own glory but about building our relationship with God. Like the people of Babel, we often try to construct our own sense of security and identity apart from God. Yet, Jesus shows us that true fulfillment comes not from self-reliance but from humility and faith. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Where am I trying to build my own tower? Where am I holding onto pride or control? May we instead choose to follow Christ, carrying our crosses with trust and hope, knowing that in losing ourselves for His sake, we will find true life.