Daily Readings - Wed Feb 16 2022
James
19My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,20for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.21Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.25But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it--he will be blessed in what he does.26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless.27Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.
Mark
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 call to live out our faith in action and to trust in God’s transformative power. In the first reading from James, we are reminded that being a follower of Christ is not merely about hearing the Word of God but putting it into practice. James warns against allowing anger or malice to guide our actions and emphasizes the importance of caring for the vulnerable, such as orphans and widows. He makes it clear that true religion is not about empty rituals but about living a life of love and service.
In the Gospel, Mark shares the story of Jesus healing a blind man in Bethsaida. This miracle is unique because it happens in stages: the man’s sight is restored gradually, first seeing people as walking trees and then fully. This two-step healing process can be seen as a metaphor for our own spiritual journey. Just as the blind man needed to trust Jesus and allow the healing to unfold, we too must trust in God’s timing and process in our lives. The healing also reminds us that faith is not always instantaneous or perfect at first; it often requires patience and perseverance.
Together, these readings encourage us to live out our faith actively and to trust in God’s plan. James calls us to be doers of the Word, not just listeners, and to care for those in need. Mark’s Gospel invites us to trust in God’s power to transform us, even if the process is gradual. In our daily lives, let us strive to put our faith into action by serving others and trusting in God’s grace to guide us. May we allow the Word of God to take root in our hearts and may we be open to the slow, sometimes imperfect, but ultimately transformative work of God in our lives.