Daily Readings - Wed Feb 08 2023
Genesis
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."
Mark
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.