Daily Readings for February 13, 2018

1ST READING

It is not easy to combat sin and temptation. Today’s reading encourages us to persevere in the battle for holiness and show to the world what the gift of salvation means to a disciple of Jesus. The devil will try to deceive us with lies and empty promises. Let us pray for the grace to recognize the wiles of the devil and reject them.

James 1:12-18

12 Blessed is he who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proven he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him. 13 No one experiencing temptation should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God is not subject to temptation to evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 Rather, each person is tempted when lured and enticed by his desire. 15 Then desire conceives and brings forth sin, and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters: 17 all good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change. 18 He willed to give us birth by the word of truth that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

P S A L M

Psalm 94:12-13, 14-15, 18-19

R: Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.

12 Blessed the man whom you instruct, O Lord, whom by your law you teach, 13 giving him rest from evil days. (R) 14 For the Lord will not cast off his people, nor abandon his inheritance; 15 but judgment shall again be with justice, and all the upright of heart shall follow it. (R) 18 When I say, “My foot is slipping,” your mercy, O Lord, sustains me; 19 when cares abound within me, your comfort gladdens my soul. (R)

GOSPEL

We will be vulnerable to sin for as long as we live. Today Jesus speaks about the leaven of the Pharisees and reminds His disciples to avoid making the same mistakes they did. Let us do the same and find people worth emulating as we strive to become true disciples of Jesus.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord; and my Father will love him and we will come to him.

Mark 8:14-21

14 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” 16 They concluded among themselves that it was because they had no bread. 17 When he became aware of this he said to them, “Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember, 19 when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?” They answered him, “Twelve.” 20 “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?” They answered him, “Seven.” 21 He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”