Daily Readings for February 12, 2018

1ST READING

God dealt with the sinfulness of the saints and moved them to embrace the suffering and trials they faced. From another perspective we can consider this: If you do not experience any suffering in your life, then you are probably dead. We battle the devil and his temptations daily to defeat sin, and the battle entails much pain and suffering.

James 1:1-11

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes in the dispersion, greetings. 2 Consider it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when you encounter various trials, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 And let perseverance be perfect, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. 5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and he will be given it. 6 But he should ask in faith, not doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed about by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, 8 since he is a man of two minds, unstable in all his ways. 9 The brother in lowly circumstances should take pride in his high standing, 10 and the rich one in his lowliness, for he will pass away “like the flower of the field.” 11 For the sun comes up with its scorching heat and dries up the grass, its flower droops, and the beauty of its appearance vanishes. So will the rich person fade away in the midst of his pursuits.

P S A L M

Psalm 119:67, 68, 71, 72, 75, 76

R: Be kind to me, Lord, and I shall live.

67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I hold to your promise. (R) 68 You are good and bountiful; teach me your statutes. (R) 71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn your statutes. (R) 72 The law of your mouth is to me more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces. (R) 75 I know, O Lord, that your ordinances are just, and in your faithfulness you have afflicted me. (R) 76 Let your kindness comfort me according to your promise to your servants. (R)

GOSPEL

The cross is the ultimate sign of God’s great love for us. Do we still need other signs to prove His love? Jesus on the cross is enough. His resurrection is His love come alive in us, as we live as His disciples by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus performed many healing miracles — there is no need to ask for more signs. Get on with the mission Jesus has set out for you to do as His disciple.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

I am the way and the truth and the life, says the Lord; no one comes to the Father except through me.

Mark 8:11-13

11 The Pharisees came forward and began to argue with Jesus, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. 12 He sighed from the depth of his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Amen, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” 13 Then he left them, got into the boat again, and went off to the other shore.

Daily Readings for February 11, 2018

1ST READING

Someone afflicted with leprosy is isolated from society because the disease is infectious. Sin does exactly the same thing in our spiritual life. It separates us from God and we are unable to come into His presence. As long as there is sin in us, we live apart from God. Let us turn away from sin and return to our merciful Father.

Leviticus 13:1-2, 44-46

1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 2 “If someone has on his skin a scab or pustule or blotch which appears to be the sore of leprosy, he shall be brought to Aaron, the priest, or to one of the priests among his descendants, 44 if the man is leprous and unclean, and the priest shall declare him unclean by reason of the sore on his head. 45 “The one who bears the sore of leprosy shall keep his garments rent and his head bare, and shall muffle his beard; he shall cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’ 46 As long as the sore is on him he shall declare himself unclean, since he is in fact unclean. He shall dwell apart, making his abode outside the camp.”

P S A L M

Psalm 32:1-2, 5, 11

R: I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, and you fill me with the joy of salvation.

1 Blessed is he whose fault is taken away, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed the man to whom the Lord imputes not guilt, in whose spirit there is no guile. (R) 5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you, my guilt I covered not. I said, “I confess my faults to the Lord,” and you took away the guilt of my sin. (R) 11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you just; exult, all you upright of heart. (R)

2ND READING

Let us make glorifying God a way of life. Seeking and basking in self-glory is an obstacle to our pursuit of holiness. Recently there was an athlete who claimed immortality because he was the fastest runner in the world. But remember that his life, his talent — and ours, too — are gifts from God. Let us remember that without God, we can do  nothing.

1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1

31 Brothers and sisters, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. 32 Avoid giving offense, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in every way, not seeking my own benefit but that of the many, that they may be saved. 11:1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

GOSPEL

The leper, whom Jesus miraculously healed, could not wait to tell the world of his healing. This is his way of giving the glory to God — giving credit where credit is due. It was Jesus who healed the leper; the leper did not heal himself. It is incredibly important for us to grasp this truth because Jesus forgives our sins. We do not deserve His forgiveness, but as in the case of the leper, Jesus chooses to forgive out of love and compassion for us.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

A great prophet has arisen in our midst, God has visited his people.

Mark 1:40-45

40 A leper came to Jesus and kneeling down begged him and said, “If you wish, you can make me clean.” 41 Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand, touched him, and said to him, “I do will it. Be made clean.” 42 The leprosy left him immediately, and he was made clean. 43 Then, warning him sternly, he dismissed him at once. 44 He said to him, “See that you tell no one anything, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed; that will be proof for them.” 45 The man went away and began to publicize the whole matter. He spread the report abroad so that it was impossible for Jesus to enter a town openly. He remained outside in deserted places, and people kept coming to him from everywhere.

Daily Readings for February 10, 2018

1ST READING

Jeroboam creates an alternative temple and place of sacrifice in Bethel to keep the tithes and offerings in the north and to stop the people’s support for the temple in the south. This is self-serving and secessionist on the part of Jeroboam. However, the people succumb to the new temple and cause the kingdom to be divided.

1 Kings 12:26-32; 13:33-34

26 Jeroboam thought to himself: “The kingdom will return to David’s house. 27 If now this people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem, the hearts of this people will return to their master, Rehoboam, king of Judah, and they will kill me.” 28 After taking counsel, the king made two calves of gold and said to the people: “You have been going up to Jerusalem long enough. Here is your God, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 29 And he put one in Bethel, the other in Dan. 30 This led to sin, because the people frequented these calves in Bethel and in Dan. 31 He also built temples on the high places and made priests from among the people who were not Levites. 32 Jeroboam established a feast in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month to duplicate in Bethel the pilgrimage feast of Judah, with sacrifices to the calves he had made; and he stationed in Bethel priests of the high places he had built. 13: 33 Jeroboam did not give up his evil ways after this, but again made priests for the high places from among the common people. Whoever desired it was consecrated and became a priest of the high places. 34 This was a sin on the part of the house of Jeroboam for which it was to be cut off and destroyed from the earth.

P S A L M

Psalm 106:6-7, 19-20, 21-22

R: Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

6 We have sinned, we and our fathers; we have committed crimes; we have done wrong. 7 Our fathers in Egypt considered not your wonders. (R) 19 They made a calf in Horeb and adored a molten image; 20 they exchanged their glory for the image of a grass-eating bullock. (R) 21 They forgot the God who had saved them, who had done great deeds in Egypt, 22 wondrous deeds in the land of Ham, terrible things at the Red Sea. (R)

GOSPEL

The feeding miracles are God’s promise to always provide enough food for us. Yet many go hungry and the problem is not the lack of food supply but of people not having access to it and many food go to waste. Fixing this distribution problem is difficult and requires international cooperation and generosity from all concerned.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

One does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes forth from the mouth of God.

Mark 8:1-10

1 In those days when there again was a great crowd without anything to eat, Jesus summoned the disciples and said, 2 “My heart is moved with pity for the crowd, because they have been with me now for three days and have nothing to eat. 3 If I send them away hungry to their homes, they will collapse on the way, and some of them have come a great distance.” 4 His disciples answered him, “Where can anyone get enough bread to satisfy them here in this deserted place?” 5 Still he asked them, “How many loaves do you have?” They replied, “Seven.” 6 He ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground. Then, taking the seven loaves he gave thanks, broke them, and gave them to his disciples to distribute, and they distributed them to the crowd. 7 They also had a few fish. He said the blessing over them and ordered them distributed also. 8 They ate and were satisfied. They picked up the fragments left over — seven baskets. 9 There were about four thousand people. He dismissed the crowd 10 and got into the boat with his disciples and came to the region of Dalmanutha.

Daily Readings for February 9, 2018

1ST READING

Jeroboam revolts against Israel and sets up an alternative kingdom in the North. This leaves Rehoboam with the “rump” of the Jewish state in the south, a bigger land area but a less populated and not an affluent part of the original kingdom. Rivalry and competition can be healthy when not taken too seriously. These can also be destructive as we learn from today’s reading. A divided kingdom is an easy target for any enemy to overcome in battle. As the lyrics of “The Liberty Song” go, “By uniting we stand, by dividing we fall!”

1 Kings 11:29-32; 12:19

29 Jeroboam left Jerusalem, and the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met him on the road. The two were alone in the area, and the prophet was wearing a new cloak. 30 Ahijah took off his new cloak, tore it into twelve pieces, 31 and said to Jeroboam: “Take ten pieces for yourself; the Lord, the God of Israel, says ‘I will tear away the kingdom from Solomon’s grasp and will give you ten of the tribes. 32 One tribe shall remain to him for the sake of David my servant, and of Jerusalem, the city I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel.’” 12:18 [19] Israel went into rebellion against David’s house to this day.

P S A L M

Psalm 81:10-11, 12-13, 14-15

R: I am the Lord, your God: hear my voice.

9 [10] “There shall be no strange god among you nor shall you worship any alien god. 10 [11] I, the Lord, am your God who led you forth from the land of Egypt.” (R) 11 [12] “My people heard not my voice, and Israel obeyed me not; 12 [13] so I gave them up to thehardness of their hearts; they walked according to their own counsels.” (R) 13 [14] “If only my people would hear me, and Israel walk in my ways, 14 [15] quickly would I humble their enemies; against their foes I would turn my hand.” (R)

GOSPEL

Jesus heals a deaf-mute and restores his hearing and speech. Let this miracle remind us to get rid of everything that hinders our ability to hear what God is saying to us. Let us listen attentively to Him and respond to His call.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Open our hearts, O Lord, to listen to the words of your Son.

Mark 7:31-37

31 Jesus left the district of Tyre and went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of the Decapolis. 32 And people brought to him a deaf man who had a speech impediment and begged him to lay his hand on him. 33 He took him off by himself away from the crowd. He put his finger into the man’s ears and, spitting, touched his tongue; 34 then he looked up to heaven and groaned, and said to him, “Ephphatha!” (that is “Be opened!”) 35 And immediately the man’s ears were opened, his speech impediment was removed, and he spoke plainly. 36 He ordered them not to tell anyone. But the more he ordered them not to, the more they proclaimed it. 37 They were exceedingly astonished and they said, “He has done all things well. He makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”

Daily Readings for February 8, 2018

1ST READING

Today’s reading is about the compromise that Solomon allowed to happen gradually in his faith life. He allowed his many wives to practice their own religions, to worship different gods at different altars. The people fell into the sin of idolatry and this weakened their unity rooted in a common faith and religion.

1 Kings 11:4-13

4 When Solomon was old his wives had turned his heart to strange gods, and his heart was not entirely with the Lord, his God, as the heart of his father David had been. 5 By adoring Astarte, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Milcom, the idol of the Ammonites, 6 Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord; he did not follow him unreservedly as his father David had done. 7 Solomon then built a high place to Chemosh, the idol of Moab, and to Molech, the idol of the Ammonites, on the hill opposite Jerusalem. 8 He did the same for all his foreign wives who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods. 9 The Lord, therefore, became angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned away from the Lord, the God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice 10 (for though the Lord had forbidden him this very act of following strange gods, Solomon had not obeyed him). 11 So the Lord said to Solomon: “Since this is what you want, and you have not kept my covenant and my statutes which I enjoined on you, I will deprive you of the kingdom and give it to your servant. 12 I will not do this during your lifetime, however, for the sake of your father David; it is your son whom I will deprive. 13 Nor will I take away the whole kingdom. I will leave your son one tribe for the sake of my servant David and of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”

P S A L M

Psalm 106:3-4, 35-36, 37, 40

R: Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people.

3 Blessed are they who observe what is right, who do always what is just. 4 Remember us, O Lord, as you favor your people; visit me with your saving help. (R) 35 But they mingled with the nations and learned their works. 36 They served their idols, which became a snare for them. (R) 37 They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to demons. 40 And the Lord grew angry with his people, and abhorred his inheritance. (R)

GOSPEL

Today’s Gospel teaches us about humility through the example of the Syrophoenician woman. She believed that even only a scrap of what is given to the Jews was enough to heal her daughter. Coming from a pagan, it is an amazing expression of faith. Nothing is impossible to God — not even the healing of the woman’s daughter from afar. Let us pray that we may have faith as strong as that of the pagan woman.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Humbly welcome the word that has been planted in you and is able to save your souls.

Mark 7:24-30

24 Jesus went to the district of Tyre. He entered a house and wanted no one to know about it, but he could not escape notice. 25 Soon a woman whose daughter had an unclean spirit heard about him. She came and fell at his feet. 26 The woman was a Greek, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. 27 He said to her, “Let the children be fed first. For it is not right to take the food of the children and throw it to the dogs.” 28 She replied and said to him, “Lord, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s scraps.” 29 Then he said to her, “For saying this, you may go. The demon has gone out of your daughter.” 30 When the woman went home, she found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.