Saturday, February 18, 2017

Daily Readings for February 18, 2017

1ST READING

Today’s reading celebrates the faith of the fathers of humanity. Through them we see what it means to follow God. They were obedient to their covenants with God. As God continues to reveal Himself, this commitment becomes more personal and moves the individual to choose a relationship with Him.

Hebrews 11:1-7
1 Brothers and sisters: Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen. 2 Because of it the ancients were well attested. 3 By faith we understand that the universe was ordered by the word of God, so that what is visible came into being through the invisible. 4 By faith Abel offered to God a sacrifice greater than Cain’s. Through this he was attested to be righteous, God bearing witness to his gifts, and through this, though dead, he still speaks. 5 By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was found no more because God had taken him. Before he was taken up, he was attested to have pleased God. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him, for anyone who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. 7 By faith Noah, warned about what was not yet seen, with reverence built an ark for the salvation of his household. Through this he condemned the world and inherited the righteousness that comes through faith.


P S A L M

Psalm 145:2-3, 4-5, 10-11
R: I will praise your name forever, Lord.

2 Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever. 3 Great is the Lord and highly to be praised; his greatness is unsearchable. (R) 4 Generation after generation praises your works and proclaims your might. 5 They speak of the splendor of your glorious majesty and tell of your wondrous works. (R) 10 Let all your works give you thanks, O Lord, and let your faithful ones bless you. 11 Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom and speak of your might. (R)


GOSPEL

Jesus is transfigured on the mountaintop with Moses and Elijah. They symbolize the Law and the Prophets. Jesus is the culmination of both the Law and the Prophets. Through Him we see both the juridical and prophetic heritage of our faith. United with Jesus, Moses and Elijah are available to us through faith. We have in full what God offers us, if only we humbly ask for it.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
The heavens were opened and the voice of the Father thundered: This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.

Mark 9:2-13
2 Jesus took Peter, James, and John and led them up a high mountain apart by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became dazzling white, such as no fuller on earth could bleach them. 4 Then Elijah appeared to them along with Moses, and they were conversing with  Jesus. 5 Then Peter said to Jesus in reply, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here! Let us make three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 He hardly knew what to say, they were so terrified. 7 Then a cloud came, casting a shadow over them; then from the cloud came a voice, “This is my beloved Son. Listen to him.” 8 Suddenly, looking around, the disciples no longer saw anyone but Jesus alone with them. 9 As they were coming down from the mountain, he charged them not to relate what they had seen to anyone, except when the Son of Man had risen from the dead. 10 So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what rising from the dead meant. 11 Then they asked him, “Why do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” 12 He told them, “Elijah will indeed come first and restore all things, yet how is it written regarding the Son of Man that he must suffer greatly and be treated with contempt? 13 But I tell you that Elijah has come and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”


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