Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 17, 2023
First Reading: Genesis 11.1-9
1Now the whole world had one language and a common speech.2As men moved eastward, they found a plain in Shinar and settled there.3They said to each other, "Come, let's make bricks and bake them thoroughly." They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar.4Then they said, "Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth."5But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower that the men were building.6The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.7Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other."8So the LORD scattered them from there over all the earth, and they stopped building the city.9That is why it was called Babel -because there the LORD confused the language of the whole world. From there the LORD scattered them over the face of the whole earth.
Psalm 33
1Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.2Praise the LORD with the harp; make music to him on the ten-stringed lyre.3Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.4For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does.5The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.6By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.7He gathers the waters of the sea into jars; he puts the deep into storehouses.8Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him.9For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.10The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples.11But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.12Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.13From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind;14from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth-15he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do.16No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength.17A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.18But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,19to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.20We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield.21In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.22May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD, even as we put our hope in you.
Gospel: Mark 8.34-38 – 9.1
34Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.35For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.36What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?37Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?38If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on human ambition and the call to follow Christ. The first reading from Genesis recounts the story of the Tower of Babel, where humanity, united in language and purpose, sought to build a tower that would reach the heavens. This story is often seen as a cautionary tale about pride and the dangers of unchecked ambition. The people of Babel were driven by a desire to make a name for themselves and to avoid being scattered across the earth. However, their efforts were thwarted when God confounded their language, scattering them and halting their project. This story reminds us that while human ingenuity and collaboration can achieve great things, they must always be tempered by humility and a recognition of our limitations.
In the Gospel, Mark presents us with a very different kind of challenge. Jesus calls his followers to embrace a life of self-denial and to take up their cross in order to follow him. This is not a call to self-destruction or masochism, but rather an invitation to reorient our lives around the values of the kingdom of God. Jesus warns that those who seek to save their lives on their own terms will ultimately lose them, while those who are willing to lose their lives for his sake and for the sake of the Gospel will find true life. This teaching is both provocative and profound, challenging us to think about what it means to live as disciples of Christ in a world that often values power, status, and comfort above all else.
These readings invite us to reflect on the nature of true fulfillment and the cost of discipleship. While the people of Babel sought to find meaning and security in their own achievements, Jesus calls us to find our true selves in surrendering to God's will. This does not mean that we should abandon our ambitions or contributions to the world, but rather that we should ground them in a deeper sense of purpose and humility. As we go about our daily lives, we are called to examine our priorities and to ask whether we are building our lives on the shifting sands of human pride or on the rock of faith in God. Let us strive to follow Christ with courage and integrity, trusting that in losing ourselves for his sake, we will find the abundant life he promises.