Daily Readings - Tue Feb 07 2023
Genesis
20And God said, "Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky."21So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living and moving thing with which the water teems, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.22God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth."23And there was evening, and there was morning-the fifth day.24And God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: livestock, creatures that move along the ground, and wild animals, each according to its kind." And it was so.25God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.26Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."27So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.28God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."29Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.30And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground-everything that has the breath of life in it-I give every green plant for food." And it was so.31God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning-the sixth day.
1Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.2By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.3And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.4This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the LORD God made the earth and the heavens-
Mark
1The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and2saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were "unclean," that is, unwashed.3(The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.4When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles. )5So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with 'unclean' hands?"6He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: "'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.7They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'8You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."9And he said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!10For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.'11But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban' (that is, a gift devoted to God),12then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.13Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that."
Sermon
The first reading from Genesis describes the creation of the world, highlighting God’s deliberate and loving act of bringing life into being. We hear how God creates sea creatures, birds, land animals, and finally humanity, made in his own image and likeness. The passage emphasizes God’s satisfaction with creation, culminating in the rest on the seventh day, which is blessed and sanctified. This reading reminds us of the intrinsic dignity of all creation and humanity’s unique role as stewards of the earth. The context is foundational, setting the stage for understanding humanity’s relationship with God and the world.
The Gospel from Mark presents a contrast between outward religious practices and the heart of faith. Jesus criticizes the Pharisees and scribes for prioritizing human traditions, such as ritual washings, over God’s commandments. He accuses them of honoring God with their lips while their hearts are far from him. This reading challenges us to examine our own practices and ensure that our faith is not reduced to empty rituals but flows from a genuine love for God and others. The context is one of tension between external observance and internal conversion.
Together, these readings invite us to reflect on the balance between tradition and true faith. While rituals and practices can be meaningful, they must never overshadow the deeper call to love and relationship with God. In our daily lives, we are called to examine our own habits and priorities, ensuring that our actions flow from a heart that seeks God rather than merely following rules. Let us strive to live as stewards of creation, honoring God not just with our lips but with our lives, and to cultivate a faith that is both authentic and transformative.