Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 26, 2023
First Reading: Genesis 2.7-9, 16-18, 25; 3.1-7
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.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."18The LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him."25The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
1Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, "Did God really say, 'You must not eat from any tree in the garden'?"2The woman said to the serpent, "We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden,3but God did say, 'You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.'"4"You will not surely die," the serpent said to the woman.5"For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil."6When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.7Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
Psalm 51
1Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.2Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.3For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.4Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.5Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.6Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.7Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.8Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.9Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.10Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.11Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.12Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.13Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.14Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.15O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.16You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.18In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.19Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Second Reading: Romans 5.12, 17-19
12Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned--17For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God's abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ.18Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men.19For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.
Gospel: Matthew 4.1-11
1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.3The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread."4Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"5Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.6"If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down. For it is written: "'He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'"7Jesus answered him, "It is also written: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'"8Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.9"All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."10Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"11Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.
Sermon
The readings today take us on a journey from the origins of humanity to the triumph of grace over sin. In the first reading, we hear the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, where the serpent’s temptation leads them to disobey God’s command. This act of disobedience introduces sin and death into the world, marking a turning point in human history. The second reading from Romans connects this event to the coming of Christ, who through his obedience undoes the sin of Adam. Paul emphasizes that just as sin entered the world through one man, so too does salvation come through the one man, Jesus Christ. Finally, in the Gospel, we see Jesus facing temptation in the desert, but unlike Adam and Eve, he resists the devil’s offers, demonstrating his fidelity to God’s will.
These readings are deeply interconnected. The story of Adam and Eve sets the stage for understanding the nature of sin and its consequences. The Romans passage explains how Christ’s obedience reverses the effects of Adam’s disobedience, offering us justification and life. The Gospel then shows us how Jesus, as the “new Adam,” resists temptation and remains faithful, modeling for us how to live in accordance with God’s will. Together, these readings remind us that sin is not the end of the story; through Christ, we have been given the gift of grace and the power to overcome temptation.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to reflect on our own struggles with sin and temptation. Like Adam and Eve, we are often lured by promises of power or pleasure that seem appealing but lead us away from God. Like Jesus in the desert, we are called to resist such temptations by trusting in God’s providence and staying rooted in his word. The moral lesson here is clear: sin may have entered the world through Adam, but through Christ, we have been given the grace to live as children of God. Let us turn to him in prayer, seek strength in his word, and strive to live lives of obedience and trust in his plan.