Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 8, 2023
First Reading: Genesis 2.4b-9, 15-17
4This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created. When the LORD God made the earth and the heavens-5and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the LORD God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground,6but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground-7the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.8Now the LORD God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed.9And the LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground-trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.15The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.16And the LORD God commanded the man, "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;17but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die."
Psalm 104
1Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.2He wraps himself in light as with a garment; he stretches out the heavens like a tent3and lays the beams of his upper chambers on their waters. He makes the clouds his chariot and rides on the wings of the wind.4He makes winds his messengers, flames of fire his servants.5He set the earth on its foundations; it can never be moved.6You covered it with the deep as with a garment; the waters stood above the mountains.7But at your rebuke the waters fled, at the sound of your thunder they took to flight;8they flowed over the mountains, they went down into the valleys, to the place you assigned for them.9You set a boundary they cannot cross; never again will they cover the earth.10He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains.11They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench their thirst.12The birds of the air nest by the waters; they sing among the branches.13He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by the fruit of his work.14He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate- bringing forth food from the earth:15wine that gladdens the heart of man, oil to make his face shine, and bread that sustains his heart.16The trees of the LORD are well watered, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.17There the birds make their nests; the stork has its home in the pine trees.18The high mountains belong to the wild goats; the crags are a refuge for the coneys.19The moon marks off the seasons, and the sun knows when to go down.20You bring darkness, it becomes night, and all the beasts of the forest prowl.21The lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God.22The sun rises, and they steal away; they return and lie down in their dens.23Then man goes out to his work, to his labor until evening.24How many are your works, O LORD! In wisdom you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures.25There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number- living things both large and small.26There the ships go to and fro, and the leviathan, which you formed to frolic there.27These all look to you to give them their food at the proper time.28When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things.29When you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to the dust.30When you send your Spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth.31May the glory of the LORD endure forever; may the LORD rejoice in his works-32he who looks at the earth, and it trembles, who touches the mountains, and they smoke.33I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.34May my meditation be pleasing to him, as I rejoice in the LORD.35But may sinners vanish from the earth and the wicked be no more. Praise the LORD, O my soul. Praise the LORD.
Gospel: Mark 7.14-23
14Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this.15Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.'"16Verse omitted from the New International Version17After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable.18"Are you so dull?" he asked. "Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him 'unclean'?19For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body." (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods "clean.")20He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.'21For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,22greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.23All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.'"
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey from the creation story in Genesis to Jesus' teachings in Mark, exploring the nature of sin and purity. Genesis describes the idyllic Garden of Eden, where God places Adam and Eve, warning them against eating from the tree of knowledge. This passage highlights the origin of sin and the choice between obedience and knowledge. Mark's Gospel shifts focus to Jesus' teaching that defilement comes not from external sources but from within. He lists evils such as adulteries and murders, emphasizing that these emerge from the heart.
These readings connect by illustrating that sin is an internal matter. Genesis shows the initial temptation and fall, while Mark underscores that true impurity arises from our thoughts and intentions. Together, they remind us that our spiritual state is determined by our inner world.
In daily life, this teaches us to reflect on our thoughts and motivations. Rather than focusing solely on outward actions, we must cultivate inner purity. The moral lesson is clear: our hearts must be pure, for it is from within that sin emerges. By tending to our inner lives, we align with God's will and live a life of true integrity.