Daily Readings - Fri Feb 18 2022
James
14What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him?15Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food.16If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.18But someone will say, "You have faith; I have deeds." Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.19You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that--and shudder.20You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless?21Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?22You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.23And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness," and he was called God's friend.24You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.26As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.
Mark
34Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.35For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.36What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?37Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?38If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."
Sermon
The readings today remind us that faith is not merely a belief in God, but a way of life that must be expressed through our actions. In the first reading from James, we hear that faith without works is dead. James challenges us to consider whether our faith is merely an intellectual assent or if it is lived out in tangible ways. He uses the example of Abraham, who demonstrated his faith through his willingness to obey God even when it seemed impossible. This emphasizes that true faith is not just about what we say we believe, but about how we live out those beliefs in our daily lives.
In the Gospel, Jesus takes this idea a step further by calling us to deny ourselves and take up our cross. He makes it clear that following Him requires sacrifice and a willingness to put His will above our own desires. Jesus warns that if we are ashamed of Him and His teachings, He will be ashamed of us when He comes in glory. This is a powerful reminder that our faith must be visible and courageous, even in the face of adversity. The readings together emphasize that faith is not a passive state, but an active commitment to living according to God's will.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: How am I living out my faith? Am I merely going through the motions, or am I truly denying myself and following Christ? Let us strive to be like Abraham, whose faith was brought to fulfillment through his actions. Let us also remember that following Christ requires sacrifice, but it is through that sacrifice that we find true life. May we be bold in living out our faith, trusting that God will bring it to fulfillment in ways we cannot yet see.