Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 27, 2022
First Reading: Sirach 27.4-7
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Psalm 92
1It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High,2to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night,3to the music of the ten-stringed lyre and the melody of the harp.4For you make me glad by your deeds, O LORD; I sing for joy at the works of your hands.5How great are your works, O LORD, how profound your thoughts!6The senseless man does not know, fools do not understand,7that though the wicked spring up like grass and all evildoers flourish, they will be forever destroyed.8But you, O LORD, are exalted forever.9For surely your enemies, O LORD, surely your enemies will perish; all evildoers will be scattered.10You have exalted my horn like that of a wild ox; fine oils have been poured upon me.11My eyes have seen the defeat of my adversaries; my ears have heard the rout of my wicked foes.12The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon;13planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God.14They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green,15proclaiming, "The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him."
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 15.54-58
54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."55"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.58Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
Gospel: Luke 6.39-45
39He also told them this parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?40A student is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.41"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?42How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.43"No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.44Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers.45The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the connection between our inner lives and our outward actions. In the first reading from Sirach, we are reminded that a person’s character is revealed through trials and tribulations, much like a tree’s fruit reveals its health. The author emphasizes the importance of fearing the Lord and living with integrity, for it is through such virtues that we are tested and proven true. This wisdom literature calls us to self-examination, urging us to consider whether our actions align with the values we profess.
The second reading from 1 Corinthians shifts our focus to the ultimate victory of Christ over death. St. Paul writes that through Jesus, death has lost its power, and sin no longer holds sway over us. This passage is a declaration of hope and perseverance, encouraging us to remain steadfast in our faith despite life’s challenges. The reading reminds us that our labor for the Lord is never in vain, for we are assured of eternal life through Christ’s triumph.
In the Gospel, Luke presents Jesus teaching about the importance of self-reflection and humility. Jesus uses the parable of the blind leading the blind and the image of a log in one’s own eye to highlight the hypocrisy of judging others while ignoring our own flaws. He emphasizes that our words and actions flow from the abundance of our hearts. A good tree bears good fruit, and a bad tree bears bad fruit. This teaching challenges us to examine our own lives before attempting to correct others, for true change begins within.
These readings together remind us that our faith is not just about outward actions but about the inner transformation that guides them. We are called to live with integrity, to trust in God’s plan, and to approach others with humility and self-awareness. Let us ask ourselves: Are we living in a way that reflects the good fruit of a heart transformed by Christ? Do we approach life’s challenges with the confidence of God’s victory? And are we willing to remove the logs from our own eyes before trying to help others? May we strive to be good trees, bearing fruit that reflects the love and mercy of God.