Daily Readings - Thu Feb 24 2022
James
1Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you.2Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes.3Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days.4Look! The wages you failed to pay the workmen who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty.5You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter.6You have condemned and murdered innocent men, who were not opposing you.
Mark
41I tell you the truth, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to Christ will certainly not lose his reward.42"And if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck.43If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.44Verse omitted from the New International Version45And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.46Verse omitted from the New International Version47And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell,48where "'their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.'49Everyone will be salted with fire.50"Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other."
Sermon
The readings today challenge us to reflect on how we live our lives in relation to God and others. In the first reading from James, we hear a stern warning to those who have exploited others for wealth and comfort. James condemns the corruption of riches and the injustice of withholding fair pay from workers, emphasizing that such actions store up wrath for the last days. This passage reminds us that earthly wealth is fleeting and that our actions have eternal consequences. James calls us to live with integrity, treating others justly and not allowing our desires for luxury to lead us astray.
In the Gospel, Mark presents Jesus teaching about the seriousness of sin and the importance of caring for others, especially the vulnerable. Jesus warns that causing scandal to one of the "little ones" is a grave offense, and He uses dramatic imagery—cutting off one’s hand, foot, or plucking out one’s eye—to emphasize the need to avoid sin at all costs. This teaching is not about literal self-mutilation but about the radical commitment required to live a life pleasing to God. Jesus also reminds us that we are called to be "salt" for the world, preserving and seasoning it with love, compassion, and justice.
Together, these readings call us to examine our priorities and actions. James urges us to avoid exploitation and greed, while Mark challenges us to live with moral integrity and care for the vulnerable. In our daily lives, this means being mindful of how our choices affect others, especially those who are marginalized or oppressed. It means living simply, treating others justly, and being willing to sacrifice our own desires for the sake of living a virtuous life. Let us strive to be salt in the world, preserving the dignity of all people and reflecting the love of God in all we do.