Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 20, 2019
First Reading: Genesis 8.6-13, 20-22
6After forty days Noah opened the window he had made in the ark7and sent out a raven, and it kept flying back and forth until the water had dried up from the earth.8Then he sent out a dove to see if the water had receded from the surface of the ground.9But the dove could find no place to set its feet because there was water over all the surface of the earth; so it returned to Noah in the ark. He reached out his hand and took the dove and brought it back to himself in the ark.10He waited seven more days and again sent out the dove from the ark.11When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth.12He waited seven more days and sent the dove out again, but this time it did not return to him.13By the first day of the first month of Noah's six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry.20Then Noah built an altar to the LORD and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it.21The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.22"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."
Psalm 116
1I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy.2Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.3The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow.4Then I called on the name of the LORD: "O LORD, save me!"5The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.6The LORD protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.7Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you.8For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling,9that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living.10I believed; therefore I said, "I am greatly afflicted."11And in my dismay I said, "All men are liars."12How can I repay the LORD for all his goodness to me?13I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD.14I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.15Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.16O LORD, truly I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant; you have freed me from my chains.17I will sacrifice a thank offering to you and call on the name of the LORD.18I will fulfill my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people,19in the courts of the house of the LORD - in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD.
Gospel: Mark 8.22-26
22They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.23He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?"24He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around."25Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.26Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village. "
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of trust, patience, and the transformative power of God’s grace. In the first reading from Genesis, Noah’s story unfolds as he waits for the floodwaters to recede. Sending out the raven and then the dove, Noah demonstrates his trust in God’s promise of renewal. The dove’s return with an olive branch signals hope and new life, while Noah’s act of building an altar expresses gratitude and a desire to reconnect with God. This passage reminds us that even in uncertain times, God’s plan unfolds in His own time, and our response should be one of faith and thanksgiving.
In the Gospel, Mark presents a unique healing story where Jesus restores a blind man’s sight in stages. The blind man first sees people as walking trees, and only after a second touch does he see clearly. This narrative suggests that spiritual sight, like physical sight, may come gradually. The man’s journey from darkness to light mirrors our own journey of faith, where God reveals truth step by step. Jesus’ instruction to the man to tell no one about the healing adds another layer, reminding us that true faith often begins in quiet, personal encounters with God before it is shared with others.
These readings call us to embrace patience and trust in God’s timing. Like Noah, we may face periods of waiting, unsure of what lies ahead, but we can trust that God is working to bring new life. Like the blind man, we may experience moments of partial understanding, but with persistence and openness, God will deepen our vision. Let us allow these stories to inspire us to trust in God’s plan, to wait with hope, and to seek His transformative grace in our lives.