Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 18, 2024
First Reading: Genesis 9.8-15
8Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him:9"I now establish my covenant with you and with your descendants after you10and with every living creature that was with you-the birds, the livestock and all the wild animals, all those that came out of the ark with you-every living creature on earth.11I establish my covenant with you: Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood; never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth."12And God said, "This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come:13I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth.14Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds,15I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.
Psalm 25
1To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;2in you I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.3No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame, but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.4Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths;5guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.6Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.7Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.8Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.9He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.10All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.11For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.12Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.13He will spend his days in prosperity, and his descendants will inherit the land.14The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.15My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare.16Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.17The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish.18Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins.19See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me!20Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.21May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you.22Redeem Israel, O God, from all their troubles!
Second Reading: 1 Peter 3.18-22
18For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit,19through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison20who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,21and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,22who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand--with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.
Gospel: Mark 1.12-15
12At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert,13and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.14After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God.15"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through the narrative of God's covenant, salvation, and the call to repentance. The first reading from Genesis recounts God's promise to Noah, establishing a covenant symbolized by the rainbow, a sign of mercy and divine commitment. This covenant represents God's promise to never again destroy the earth with a flood, offering hope and renewal.
The second reading from 1 Peter bridges this ancient covenant with the new covenant through Christ. It highlights how Christ's death and resurrection offer salvation, drawing a parallel between the flood and baptism. Just as Noah's ark saved a few, baptism saves us, transforming water from a symbol of destruction to one of salvation. Christ's triumph over death and His role in granting eternal life underscore the fulfillment of God's plan.
In the Gospel, Mark describes Jesus' temptation in the wilderness and the beginning of His ministry. After withstanding temptation, Jesus calls us to repentance and faith, embodying the fulfillment of God's covenant. This call to repentance invites us to reflect on our lives, trusting in God's promises and responding with faith. Just as Jesus faced temptation, we too can find strength in our struggles, trusting in God's grace.
In our daily lives, we are called to live out our baptismal commitment, trusting in God's covenant and responding to His call. Let us embrace the transformation offered through Christ, facing our challenges with faith and repentance, and living as witnesses to God's enduring love.