Bible Diary

1st Reading: Dt 18:15–20 Moses said, the Lord will raise up for you a prophet like myself from among the people, from your brothers, to whom you shall listen.

Remember that in Horeb, on the day of the Assembly, you said: “I am afraid to die and I do not want to hear the voice of Yahweh again or see again that great fire.” So Yahweh said to me: “They have spoken well. I shall raise up a prophet from their midst, one of their brothers, who will be like you. I will put my words into his mouth and he will tell them all that I command. If someone does not listen to my words when the prophet speaks on my behalf, I myself will call him to account for it. But any prophet who says in my name anything that I did not command, or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.”

2nd Reading: 1 Cor 7:32–35 I would like you to be free from anxieties.

He who is not married is concerned about the things of the Lord and how to please the Lord.

While he who is married is taken up with the things of the world and how to please his wife, Ps 95: 1–2, 6–7, 7–9 and he is divided in his interests.

If today you hear his voice, Likewise, the unmarried woman and the virgin harden not your hearts. are concerned with the service of the Lord, to be holy in body and spirit. The married woman, instead, worries about the things of the world and how to please her husband.

sunday

February

01

4th Sunday in Ordinary Time Psalter: Week 4

Gospel: Mk 1:21–28 They went into the town of Capernaum and Jesus began to teach in the synagogue during the sabbath assemblies. The people were astonished at the way he taught, for he spoke as one having authority and not like the teachers of the Law. It happened that a man with an evil spirit was in their synagogue and he shouted, “What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are: You are the Holy One of God.” Then Jesus faced him and said with authority, “Be silent and come out of this man!” The evil spirit shook the man violently and, with a loud shriek, came out of him.

All the people were astonished and they wondered, “What is this? With what authority he preaches! He even orders evil spirits and they obey him!” And Jesus’ fame spread throughout all the country of Galilee.

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hat the words that come from the mouth of Jesus have a powerful and lasting effect should come as no surprise. After all, Jesus is the Word of God. Just as the Bible begins with the account of God creating the universe through the power of His Word, so, too does this account from the first chapter of the Gospel of St. Mark emphasize the restorative power of the words that come from the Lord. Jesus speaks and great things happen.

At every celebration of the Holy Eucharist the Gospel is proclaimed and we hear words of Jesus, words that contain within them the power to effect tremendous change within us.

May we truly listen to Him. May we take His words to heart and allow them to drive away from us distraction and temptation. His words continue to have authority over anything and anyone who would wish us harm. There are few better ways to express good stewardship than to open our ears and hearts to the power of the Word of God.

02 February monday

Presentation of the Lord / World Day of Consecrated Life Psalter: Proper

Ps 24: 7, 8, 9, 10 Who is this king of glory?

It is the Lord!

1st Reading: Mal 3:1–4 The Lord God said: Now I am sending my messenger ahead of me to clear the way; then suddenly the Lord for whom you long will enter the sanctuary. The envoy of the covenant which you so greatly desire already comes, says Yahweh of hosts. Who can bear the day of his coming and remain standing when he appears? For he will be like fire in the foundry and like the lye used for bleaching. He will be as a refiner or a fuller. He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver. So Yahweh will have priests who will present the offering as it should be. Then Yahweh will accept with pleasure the offering of Judah and Jerusalem, as in former days.

2nd Reading: Heb 2:14–18 Gospel: Lk 2:22–32 When the day came for the purification according to the law of Moses, Joseph and Mary brought the baby up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord, as it is written in the law of the Lord: Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to God. And they offered a sacrifice as ordered in the law of the Lord: a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.

There lived in Jerusalem at this time a very upright and devout man named Simeon; the Holy Spirit was in him. He looked forward to the time when the Lord would comfort Israel, and he had been assured by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before seeing the Messiah of the Lord. So he was led into the Temple by the Holy Spirit at the time the parents brought the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law. Simeon took the child in his arms and blessed God, saying, “Now, O Lord, you can dismiss your servant in peace, for you have fulfilled your word and my eyes have seen your salvation, which you display for all the people to see. Here is the light you will reveal to the nations and the glory of your people Israel.”

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he same Spirit that gave Simeon hope also provided for his joy. And so it is with us. Here was a confession of his faith, that the child in his arms was the Messiah, the salvation of God’s people.

Joseph and Mary marvelled at the things which were spoken of this child. Simeon showed them what reason they had to rejoice in their firstborn son. And yet today, Christ is still spoken against. His divinity is denied and blasphemed. But, His preached words are still the touchstone of humanity’s character. The secret, good affections in the minds of some will be revealed by their embracing of Christ; the secret corruptions of others will be revealed by their enmity to Christ. We shall be judged by the thoughts of our hearts concerning Christ. No matter how hard life becomes, we shall always find joy and peace in our faith and hope in Christ.

1st Reading: Heb 12:1–4 What a cloud of innumerable witnesses surround us! So let us be rid of every encumbrance, and especially of sin, to persevere in running the race marked out before us. Let us look to Jesus the founder of our faith, who will bring it to completion. For the sake of the joy reserved for him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and then sat at the right of the throne of God. Think of Jesus who suffered so many contradictions from evil people, and you will not be discouraged or grow weary. Have you already shed your blood in the struggle against sin?

tuesday

February

03

4th Week in Ordinary Time Blasé / Ansgar Psalter: Week 4

Ps 22:26b–27, 28 and 30, 31–32 They will praise you, Lord, who long for you.

Gospel: Mk 5:21–43* … Jairus, an official of the synagogue, came up and threw himself at Jesus’ feet and asked him earnestly, “My little daughter is at the point of death. Come and lay your hands on her so that she may get well and live.” Jesus went with him and many people followed. Among the crowd was a woman who had suffered from bleeding for twelve years. … Since she had heard about Jesus, this woman came up behind him and touched his cloak thinking, “If I just touch his clothing, I shall get well.” Her flow of blood dried up at once, and she felt in her body that she was healed. But Jesus was conscious that healing power had gone out from him, so he turned around and asked, “Who touched my clothes?” … Then the woman came forward, knelt before him and told him the whole truth.

Then Jesus said, “Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace and be free of this illness.”

Some people arrived from the official’s house to inform him, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the Master any further?”

But Jesus ignored what they said and told the official, “Do not fear, just believe.” When they arrived at the house, Jesus entered and said to them, “Why all this commotion and weeping? The child is not dead but asleep.” They laughed at him. But Jesus sent them outside and went into the room where the child lay. Taking her by the hand, he said to her, “Talitha kumi!” which means: “Little girl, get up!” The girl got up at once and began to walk around. …

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t is amazing, but still common among Christians, to only invoke Christ for healing until they have tried in vain all other helpers and have found them to be like physicians with no medicine. Some run to diversions and loud company; others plunge into business or even into addiction. Many die as they are, set in their ways; but none of them ever finds rest for the soul by such devices. Those who allow Christ to heal them disease of sin, discover in themselves that an entire change for the better has transformed them into people of hope. Just as our secret sins are known to God, so too are our secret acts of faith. It is God’s will that His people should be comforted and He has the power to command that troubled spirits be comforted. The more simply we depend on God, the more we find in ourselves that He has become our salvation. Those who, by faith, are healed of their spiritual diseases find that they have every reason to go in peace. And so it is with us!

04 February wednesday

4th Week in Ordinary Time Psalter: Week 4

Ps 103:1–2, 13–14, 17–18a The Lord’s kindness is everlasting to those who fear him.

1st Reading: Heb 12:4–7, 11–15 Have you already shed your blood in the struggle against sin?

Do not forget the comforting words that Wisdom addresses to you as children: My son, pay attention when the Lord corrects you and do not be discouraged when he punishes you. For the Lord corrects those he loves and chastises everyone he accepts as a son.

What you endure is in order to correct you. God treats you like sons and what son is not corrected by his father?

All correction is painful at the moment, rather than pleasant; later it brings the fruit of peace, that is, holiness to those who have been trained by it.

Lift up, then, your drooping hands, and strengthen your trembling knees; make level the ways for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but healed.

Gospel: Mk 6:1–6 Jesus returned to his own country, and his disciples followed him. When the Sabbath came, he began teaching in the synagogue, and most of those who heard him were astonished. They commented, “How did this come to him?

What kind of wisdom has been given to him that he also performs such miracles? Who is he but the carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James and Joset and Judas and Simon? His sisters, too, are they not here among us?” So they took offense at him.

And Jesus said to them, “Prophets are despised only in their own country, among their relatives and in their own family.” And he could work no miracles there, but only healed a few sick people by laying his hands on them. Jesus himself was astounded at their unbelief. Jesus then went around the villages teaching.

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hen the countrymen of Jesus took exception to his humble, working-class origins, they were trying to prejudice the minds of the people against him. Who was he but a carpenter? Jesus had probably worked in that business with his father, Joseph and thus bestowed honor upon all carpenters, mechanics and persons who, day after day, put food onto the family table by the labour of their hands and the sweat of their brows.

It is the duty of us followers of Jesus to be content and satisfied with knowing that we have done good work, even though we are, more often than not, denied any recognition or praise for it.

We can legitimately wonder just how much happiness these critics of Jesus lost by their obstinate prejudice against him and his working-class origins. We should always hope and pray that divine grace will deliver us from that kind of bigotry, which looks upon hard work with distaste, rather than seeing it as a way of pumping life to the soul. Let us, like Jesus, go out of our way to respect and cherish everybody, regardless of their background, race or class.

1st Reading: Heb 12:18–19, 21–24 What you have come to is nothing known to the senses: nor heat of a blazing fire, darkness and gloom and storms, blasts of trumpets or such a voice that the people pleaded that no further word be spoken.

The sight was so terrifying that Moses said: I tremble with fear.

But you came near to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, to the heavenly Jerusalem with its innumerable angels.

You have come to the solemn feast, the assembly of the firstborn of God, whose names are written in heaven. There is God, Judge of all, with the spirits of the upright brought to perfection. There is Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, with the sprinkled blood that cries out more effectively than Abel’s.

thursday

February

05

4th Week in Ordinary Time Agatha Psalter: Week 4

Ps 48:2–3ab, 3cd–4, 9, 10–11 O God, we ponder your mercy within your temple.

Gospel: Mk 6:7–13 Jesus called the Twelve to him and began to send them out two by two, giving them authority over evil spirits. And he ordered them to take nothing for the journey except a staff; no food, no bag, no money in their belts. They were to wear sandals and were not to take an extra tunic.

And he added, “In whatever house you are welcomed, stay there until you leave the place. If any place doesn’t receive you and the people refuse to listen to you, leave after shaking the dust off your feet. It will be a testimony against them.”

So they set out to proclaim that this was the time to repent.

They drove out many demons and healed many sick people by anointing them.

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magine being trained for a career and, when you have completed your training, you are sent out to begin your work. The instructions you are given are to take no money or food or extra clothes.

Then you have to find people that you can stay with. This is what happened to the disciples of Jesus. He trained them for their ministry; he taught them as much as they could learn. Still, in order for them to go out with no money or food or clothes, they had to trust him completely. They had enough faith in him to know they would be fine.

Today, here and now, we are being trained by Jesus for our role as Christians to try and heal the world. But, before we can do anything, we need to know what we are doing. When we know what we are called to do, we can walk in faith and do it. When Jesus told the disciples to take nothing with them, he wanted them to depend solely on him. He works in the same way with us. So, in faith, hope and love, let us all go forth and meet the world!

06 February friday

4th Week in Ordinary Time Paul Miki and Companions / Pedro Bautista Psalter: Week 4

Ps 27:1, 3, 5, 8b–9abc The Lord is my light and my salvation.

1st Reading: Heb 13:1–8 Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to offer hospitality; you know that some people have entertained angels without know­­ing it. Remember prisoners as if you were with them in chains, and the same for those who are suffering. Remember that you also have a body.

Marriage must be respected by all and husband and wife faithful to each other. God will punish the immoral and the adulterous.

Do not depend on money. Be content with having enough for today for God has said: I will never forsake you or abandon you, and we shall confidently answer: The Lord is my helper, I will not fear; what can man do to me? Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Consider their end and imitate their faith. Christ Jesus is the same today as yesterday and forever.

Gospel: Mk 6:14–29 King Herod also heard about Jesus because his name had become well-known. Some people said, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” Others thought, “He is Eli­jah,” and others, “He is a pro­phet like the pro­phets of times past.” When Herod was told of this, he thought: “I had John beheaded, yet he has risen from the dead!”

For this is what had happened. Herod had ordered John to be arrested and had him bound and put in prison because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip. Herod had married her and John had told him, “It is not right for you to live with your brother’s wife.” So Herodias held a grudge against John and wanted to kill him, but she could not.

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hen last we saw John the Baptist, he was on a religious mission similar to that of Jesus: preaching, baptizing people, forgiving their sins, and exhorting them to faith in God. After that we learn the rest of the story: Herod feared John while he lived, and feared him still more after he died. Herod did many things which John, in his preaching, had taught him to do. But, it is not enough to do many things; we must also have respect for all the commandments. Herod respected John, until he came up against the hatred and jealousy of his wife, Herodias, who loathed John after he criticized their marriage.

It is still a fact today that many love good preachers, as long as they don’t make them feel guilty about their sinful ways. But, it is better that sinners persecute ministers now for being faithful to the word of God, than to curse them eternally for being unfaithful. Death did not come as a surprise or punishment for John the Baptist, and the triumph of the wicked Herod was short. When we are in the state of grace, however, our own death will be neither surprising nor painful.

1st Reading: Heb 13:15–17, 20–21 Let us, then, continually offer through Jesus a sacrifice of praise to God, that is the fruit of lips celebrating his name.

Do not neglect good works and common life, for these are sacrifices pleasing to God. Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are concerned for your souls and are accountable for them. Let this be a joy for them rather than a burden, which would be of no advantage for you.

May God give you peace, he who brought back from among the dead Jesus our Lord, the Great Shepherd of the sheep, whose blood seals the eternal covenant.

He will train you in every good work, that you may do his will, for it is he who works in us what pleases him, through Jesus Christ, to whom all glory be for ever and ever. Amen!

saturday

February

07

4th Week in Ordinary Time Our Lady’s Saturday Psalter: Week 4

Ps 23:1–3a, 3b–4, 5, 6 The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.

Gospel: Mk 6:30–34 The apostles returned and reported to Jesus all they had done and taught. Then he said to them, “Go off by yourselves to a remote place and have some rest.” For there were so many people coming and going that the apostles had no time even to eat. And they went away in the boat to a secluded area by themselves.

But people saw them leaving and many could guess where they were going. So, from all the towns they hurried there on foot, arriving ahead of them.

As Jesus went ashore he saw a large crowd, and he had compassion on them for they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began a long teaching session with them.

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esus took notice of the people pestering his disciples and he took care that they be taught, without further interrupting his disciples from their rest. Interruptions are bound to happen; they are sometimes necessary and God-ordained. We should never begin work in the morning without thinking that perhaps God may interrupt our work. But, so averse are we to interruptions that it is easy to lose sight of the fact that God may be operating in the interruption to work through us for the benefit of others.

We see just that sort of interruption in the passage before us today. The disciples had plans for a little private time, but a crowd of thousands interrupted those plans. And what happened, as a result, was a demonstration of Jesus’ compassion. Jesus came into the world to restore, to preserve and to nourish spiritual life. None were sent away empty from him. His compassion should teach us not to waste any of God’s bounties, remembering how many in the world today are in need. We may, at some time to come, hunger for the fragments that we now throw away.

1st Reading: Job 7:1–4, 6–7 Job spoke saying: Man’s life on earth is a thankless job, his days are those of a mercenary.

Like a slave he longs for the shade of evening, like a hireling waiting for his wages.

Thus I am allotted months of boredom and nights of grief and misery.

In bed I say, “When shall the day break?”

On rising, I think, “When shall evening come?” and I toss restless till dawn.

My days pass swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, heading without hope to their end.

My life is like wind, you well know it, O God; never will I see happiness again.

2nd Reading: 1 Cor 9:16–19, 22–23 Because I cannot boast of announcing the Gospel: I am bound to do it. Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel! If I preached voluntarily, I could expect my reward, but I have been trusted this office against my will. How can I, then, deserve a reward? In announcing the Gospel, I will do it freely without making use of the rights given to me by the Gospel.

So, feeling free with everybody, I have become

Ps 147:1–2, 3–4, 5–6 Praise the Lord, who heals the brokenhearted. everybody’s slave in order to gain a greater number.

To the weak I made myself weak, to win the weak. So I made myself all things to all people in order to save, by all possible means, some of them. This I do for the Gospel, so that I too have a share of it.

Gospel: Mk 1:29–39 As soon as Jesus and his disciples left the synagogue, Jesus went to the home of Simon and Andrew with James and John. As Simon’s mother-in-law was sick in bed with fever, they immediately told him about her. Jesus went to her and taking her by the hand, raised her up.

The fever left her and she began to wait on them.

That evening at sundown, people brought to Jesus all the sick and those who had evil spirits: the whole town was pressing around the door.

Jesus healed many who had various diseases, and drove out many demons; but he did not let them speak, for they knew who he was.

Very early in the morning, before daylight, Jesus went off to a lonely place where he prayed. Simon and the others went out, too, searching for him; and when they found him they said, “Everyone is looking for you.” Then Jesus answered, “Let’s go to the nearby villages so that I may preach there too; for that is why I came.”

So Jesus set out to preach in all the synagogues throughout Galilee; he also cast out demons.

sunday

February

08

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time Psalter: Week 1

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e always read that Jesus prays after a day’s work—after healing the sick, driving out demons, preaching the Word of God, and teaching his disciples. In prayer Jesus expresses his intimacy with the Father and draws strength from Him to be able to continue His mission.

We find Jesus pray alone and in the silence of the morning. This attitude of Jesus in praying reminds us of the importance of prayer in our Christian life. Prayer opens up the door of communication and intimacy to the Father. In prayer we can raise to our Father in heaven our everyday concerns, our struggles in life, and express our gratitude for the many blessings that He continues to give us. Like Jesus, let us seek God in prayer. In the silence of our hearts in prayer, God speaks the loudest.

09 February monday

5th Week in Ordinary Time Psalter: Week 1

Ps 104: 1–2a, 5–6, 10 and 12, 24 and 35c May the Lord be glad in his works.

1st Reading: Gen 1:1–19* In the beginning, when God began to create the heavens and the earth, the earth had no form and was void; darkness was over the deep and the Spirit of God hovered over the waters. God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. God saw that the light was good and he separated the light from the darkness.

God called the light ‘Day’ and the darkness ‘Night’. There was evening and there was morning: the first day. God said, “Let there be a firm ceiling between the waters and let it separate waters from waters.” So God made the ceiling and separated the waters below it from the waters above it. And so it was. God called the firm ceiling ‘Sky’. There was evening and there was morning: the second day. God said, “Let the waters below the sky be gathered together in one place and let dry land appear.” And so it was. God called the dry land ‘Earth’, and the waters gathered together he called ‘Seas’. God saw that it was good. God said, “Let the earth produce vegetation, seed-bearing plants, fruit-trees bearing fruit with seed, each according to its kind, upon the earth.” And so it was. The earth produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kind and trees producing fruit which has seed, according to their kind. God saw that it was good. There was evening and there was morning: the third day. God said, “Let there be lights in the ceiling of the sky to separate day from night and to serve as signs for the seasons, days and years; and let these lights in the sky shine above the earth.” And so it was. …

Gospel: Mk 6:53–56 Having crossed the lake, they came ashore at Gennesaret where they tied up the boat. As soon as they landed, people recognized Jesus and ran to spread the news throughout the countryside. Wherever he was they brought to him the sick lying on their mats. And wherever he went, to villages, towns or farms, they laid the sick in the marketplace and begged him to let them touch just the fringe of his cloak. And all who touched him were cured.

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he first words, the first chapter of Genesis! No other passage has given more to the debate about the origins of the earth than this has. In the new creation, the first thing that is wrought in the soul is light: the Holy Spirit works upon our will and affections by enlightening our understanding.

Those who by sin were dark characters, by grace become the light of the world. If God had not come and given us the gift of understanding, darkness would always have been our fate. Day and night belong to God; let us use both to His honor, by working for Him every day and resting in Him every night. The earth was emptiness, but by a word spoken it became full of God’s riches. The earth, at God’s command, brings forth grass, herbs, and fruits. God must have the glory for all the benefits we receive from the earth. If we follow God’s love for the earth we may rejoice, even when the streams of temporal mercies dry up.

1st Reading: Gen 1:20–2:4a* … God said, “Let us make man in our image, to our likeness.

Let them rule over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, over the cattle, over the wild animals, and over all creeping things that crawl along the ground.” So God created man in his image; in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. … God said, “I have given you every seed-bearing plant which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree that bears fruit with seed. It will be for your food. To every wild animal, to every bird of the sky, to everything that creeps along the ground, to everything that has the breath of life, I give every green plant for food.” So it was.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. There was evening and there was morning: the sixth day.

That was the way the sky and earth were created and all their vast array. By the seventh day the work God had done was completed, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work he had done. …

tuesday

February

10

5th Week in Ordinary Time Scholastica Psalter: Week 1

Ps 8:4–5,6–7, 8–9 O Lord, our God, how wonderful your name in all the earth.

Gospel: Mk 7:1–13* One day the Pharisees gathered around Jesus and with them were some teachers of the Law who had just come from Jerusalem. They noticed that some of his disciples were eating their meal with unclean hands, that is, without washing them. Now the Pharisees, and in fact, all the Jews, never eat without washing their hands. …

So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law asked him, “Why do your disciples not follow the tradition of the elders, but eat with unclean hands?”

Jesus answered, “You, shallow people! How well Isaiah prophesied of you when he wrote: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. … You even put aside the commandment of God to hold fast to human tradition.”

And Jesus commented, “You have a fine way of disregarding the commandment of God in order to implant your own tradition. For example, Moses said: Do your duty to your father and your mother, and: Whoever curses his father or his mother is to be put to death. But according to you someone could say to his father or mother: ‘I already declared Corban, which means “offered to God,” what you could have expected from me.’ In this case, you no longer let him do anything for a father or mother. …

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rophecy goes like this: man was made last of all the creatures; this was both an honor and a favor to him. Yet, man’s body was made the same as the animals; and he inhabits the same earth with them. God forbid that, by indulging the body and the greedy desires of it, we should deface the image of God, imprinted on our souls, by not caring for the ecological health of this planet. May God renew the health of the earth upon our souls by His grace!

11 February wednesday

Our Lady of Lourdes / World Day of the Sick Psalter: Week 1

Ps 104:1–2a, 27–28, 29bc–30 O bless the Lord, my soul!

1st Reading: Gen 2:4b–9, 15–17 On the day that Yahweh God made the earth and the heavens, there was not yet on the earth any shrub of the fields, nor had any plant yet sprung up, for Yahweh God had not made it rain on the earth, and there was no man to till the earth, but a mist went up from the earth and watered the surface of the earth. Then Yahweh God formed Man, dust drawn from the clay, and breathed into his nostrils a breath of life and Man became alive with breath. God planted a garden in Eden in the east and there he placed Man whom he had created. Yahweh God caused to grow from the ground every kind of tree that is pleasing to see and good to eat, also the tree of Life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Yahweh God took Man and placed him in the garden of Eden to till it and take care of it.

Then Yahweh God gave an order to Man saying, “You may eat of every tree in the garden, but of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, you will not eat, for on the day you eat of it, you will die.”

Gospel: Mk 7:14–23 Jesus called the people to him again and said to them, “Listen to me, all of you, and try to understand. Nothing that enters one from outside can make that person unclean. It is what comes out from within that makes one unclean. Let everyone who has ears listen.” When Jesus got home and was away from the crowd, his disciples asked him about this saying and he replied, “So even you are dull? Do you not see that whatever comes from outside cannot make a person unclean? Since it enters, not the heart but the stomach and is finally passed out.” Thus Jesus declared that all foods are clean. And he went on, “What comes out of a person is what defiles, for evil designs come out of the heart: theft, murder, adultery, jealousy, greed, maliciousness, deceit, indecency, slander, pride and folly. All these evil things come from within and make a person unclean.”

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et’s imagine Adam in his state of innocence, uncomprehending of what is being told to him, and certainly uncomprehending of the possible consequences of his actions. Now, flash forward the present time where good and evil are much in the news. The accounts of good and evil, put before us, presume our knowledge of good from evil. But, they often lack the nuance we might find useful in trying to distinguish right from wrong.

We recognize that not everything called “good” is good; nor is everything called “evil” not good.

There is a fundamental tendency to define “good” as that which is in the interest of the self and to define “evil” as that which stands in the way of self-interest. Good and evil are polar opposites of the best and worst of human behavior. So, how do we know what is good from that which is evil? Our faith as Christians charts the course for us and elucidates the dynamic conflict between good and evil that confronts each and every human being. Only by striving always to do good and avoid evil can we achieve a healthy, happy life, walking hand-in-hand through that life with God.

1st Reading: Gen 2:18–25 Yahweh God said, “It is not good for Man to be alone; I will give him a helper who will be like him.” Then Yahweh God formed from the earth all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air and brought them to Man to see what he would call them; and whatever Man called every living creature, that was its name.

So Man gave names to all the cattle, the birds of the air and to every beast of the field. But he did not find among them a helper like himself. Then Yahweh God caused a deep sleep to come over Man and he fell asleep. He took one of his ribs and filled its place with flesh. The rib which Yahweh God had taken from Man he formed into a woman and brought her to the man. The man then said, “Now this is bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh. She shall be called woman because she was taken from man.” That is why man leaves his father and mother and is attached to his wife, and with her becomes one flesh. Both the man and his wife were naked and were not ashamed.

thursday

February

12

5th Week in Ordinary Time Psalter: Week 1

Ps 128:1–2, 3, 4–5 Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Gospel: Mk 7:24–30 Jesus went to the border of the Tyrian country. There he entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there, but he could not remain hidden. A woman, whose small daughter had an evil spirit, heard of him and came and fell at his feet. Now this woman was a pagan, a Syrophoenician by birth, and she begged him to drive the demon out of her daughter. Jesus told her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she replied, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the crumbs from the children’s bread.” Then Jesus said to her, “You may go your way; because of such a reply the demon has gone out of your daughter.” And when the woman went home, she found her child lying in bed and the demon gone.

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or the last two thousand years or so, Eve has represented the fundamental character and identity of all women. Whoever she might be and whatever her accomplishments, no woman can escape being identified with Eve. This perception of Eve has endured with remarkable tenacity, and persists today as a major stumbling-block in attempts by women to correct gender-based inequalities between the sexes. But, it has also been argued successfully that Genesis is not inherently patriarchal.

The argument is that, far from being a secondary or dependent being, Eve was in fact the culmination of creation. The order of creation, in which Adam was created first and Eve second, indicates hierarchy; and, therefore, Adam’s superiority ignores the fact that the animals were created before him. If Adam is superior to the animals, then the hierarchy of creation should be reversed and Eve should be seen as God’s ultimate creation. At the time of creation, inequality between Adam and Eve entered only as a consequence of disobedience. In other words, inequality between the sexes was not originally part of the divine plan. It, therefore, follows that attempts by women today to restore equality are in keeping with God’s original plan.

13 February friday

5th Week in Ordinary Time Psalter: Week 1

Ps 32:1–2, 5, 6, 7 Blessed are those whose sins are forgiven.

1st Reading: Gen 3:1–8 Now the serpent was the most crafty of all the wild creatures that Yahweh God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say: You must not eat from any tree in the garden?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees in the garden, but of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden God said: You must not eat, and you must not touch it or you will die.” The serpent said to the woman, “You will not die, but God knows that the day you eat it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like gods, knowing good and evil.” The woman saw that the fruit was good to eat, and pleasant to the eyes, and ideal for gaining knowledge. She took its fruit and ate it and gave some to her husband who was with her. He ate it. Then their eyes were opened and both of them knew they were naked. So they sewed leaves of a fig tree together and made themselves loincloths.

They heard the voice of Yahweh God walking in the garden, in the cool of the day, and they, the man and his wife, hid from Yahweh God among the trees of the garden.

Gospel: Mk 7:31–37 Again Jesus set out; from the country of Tyre, passed through Sidon and, skirting the sea of Galilee, he came to the territory of Decapolis. There a deaf man who also had difficulty in speaking was brought to him. They asked Jesus to lay his hand upon him.

Jesus took him apart from the crowd, put his fingers into the man’s ears and touched his tongue with spittle. Then, looking up to heaven, he groaned and said to him, “Ephphetha,” that is, “Be opened.”

And his ears were opened, his tongue was loosened, and he began to speak clearly. Jesus ordered them not to tell anyone, but the more he insisted on this, the more they proclaimed it. The people were completely astonished and said, “He has done all things well; he makes the deaf hear and the dumb speak.”

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he story of Adam and Eve is presented in a mythical form. To treat it as if it were literal truth is, among other errors, to do a great injustice to the Book of Genesis, which was intended as a myth or an allegory, teaching lessons rather than relating historical facts. A specific and concrete act of rebellion by a particular human couple doesn’t seem to be a plausible explanation of the sinful nature of human beings, or of the disorder we see all around us in the world today.

Evolutionary biology allows us to find that we are human beings with natures that allow us to be reshaped, so that we can share in God’s life. In adapting ourselves to serve goodness, we show we’re capable of being reshaped to the higher demands of God; demands which culminate in the command: “Be perfect! Be Christ-like!” Cooperate with God as He reshapes us to share in His life.

We only have to ask and God will reshape us to be His companions. Through Christ, God is telling us great moral truths, perfect and complete versions of the various moral truths that arose in the course of evolution.

1st Reading: Gen 3:9–24* Yahweh God called the man saying to him, “Where are you?” He said, “I heard your voice in the garden and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.” God said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree I ordered you not to eat?” The man answered, “The woman you put with me gave me fruit from the tree and I ate it.” God said to the woman, “What have you done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me and I ate.” Yahweh God said to the serpent, “Since you have done that, be cursed among all the cattle and wild beasts! You will crawl on your belly and eat dust all the days of your life. I will make you enemies, you and the woman, your offspring and her offspring. He will crush your head and you will strike his heel.” To the woman, God said, “I will increase your suffering in child-bearing, and you will give birth to your children in pain. You will be dependent on your husband and he will lord it over you.” To the man, He said, “Because you have listened to your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I forbade you to eat, cursed be the soil because of you! … With sweat on your face you will eat your bread, until you return to clay, since it was from clay that you were taken, for you are dust and to dust you shall return.” …

saturday

February

14

5th Week in Ordinary Time Cyril / Methodius Psalter: Week 1

Ps 90:2–3, 4abc, 5–6, 12–13 In every age, O Lord, you have been our refuge.

Gospel: Mk 8:1–10* … Jesus called his disciples and said to them, “I feel sorry for these people because they have been with me for three days and now have nothing to eat. If I send them to their homes hungry, they will faint on the way; some of them have come a long way.” His disciples replied, “Where in a deserted place like this could we get enough bread to feed these people?” He asked them, “How many loaves have you?” And they answered, “Seven.”

Then he ordered the crowd to sit down on the ground.

Taking the seven loaves and giving thanks, he broke them and handed them to his disciples to distribute. And they distributed them among the people. They also had some small fish, so Jesus said a blessing and asked that these be shared as well.

The people ate and were satisfied. …

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od passed sentence! He began where sin began, with the serpent, the embodiment of evil in the world. War was proclaimed between the seeds of the woman and of the serpent. It is the fruit of this enmity, that there is continual warfare and corruption in the hearts of people today.

After their sin, God told Adam and Eve to leave.

The good news for us is that the fall from grace of Adam and Eve set the stage for our own redemption through the humanity, suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus, our Savior. And Christ’s sufferings continue in our own sufferings for His name. As Christ gains ground, Satan falls.

Just never forget: We all have to die before we can rise!

1st Reading: Lev 13:1–2, 44–46 Yahweh said to Moses and Aaron, “If someone has a boil, an inflammation or a sore on his skin which could develop into leprosy, he must be brought to Aaron the priest, or to one of the priests, his descendants.

This means that the man is leprous: he is unclean. The priest shall declare him unclean; he is suffering from leprosy of the head.

A person infected with leprosy must wear torn clothing and leave his hair uncombed; he must cover his upper lip and cry, “Unclean, un-clean.”

As long as the disease lasts he must be unclean; and therefore he must live away from others: he must live outside the camp.

2nd Reading: 1 Cor 10:31–11:1 Whether you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do it for the glory of God. Give no offense to the Jews, or to the Greeks, or to the Church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything. I do not seek my own interest, but that of many, this is: that they be saved.

Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.

Gospel: Mk 1:40–45 A leper came to Jesus and begged him, “If you Ps 32:1–2, 5, 11 so will, you can make me clean.” Moved with I turn to you, Lord, in time of trouble, pity, Jesus stretched out his hand and touched and you fill me with the joy of salvation. him, saying, “I will; be clean.” The leprosy left the man at once and he was made clean. As Jesus sent the man away, he sternly warned him, “Don’t tell anyone about this, but go and show yourself to the priest and for the cleansing bring the offering ordered by Moses; in this way you will make your declaration.”

However, as soon as the man went out, he began spreading the news everywhere, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter any town.

But even though he stayed in the rural areas, people came to him from everywhere.

sunday

February

15

6th Sunday in Ordinary Time Psalter: Week 2

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t seems unusual for Jesus to tell the leper to keep secret the news of his cure. Good news, after all, is for sharing. Yet Jesus had a profound reason for wanting the leper to keep this matter confidential. Jesus is the Messiah, the One who comes to make all things new. His messianic se­cret was meant to be revealed not at the moment of the leper’s cure, but at the hour when He would stretch out His arms upon the cross.

We are to proclaim the Good News of the Lord to the world around us. This is our calling as stew­ ards and as evangelizers. Yet our proclamation is to be authentic. Our faith does not promise a quick fix to life’s problems. Rather, we invite others into nothing less than a sharing in the suffering and death of the Lord through which, and only through which do we find meaning, purpose and direction for our lives.

16 February monday

6th Week in Ordinary Time Psalter: Week 2

Ps 50:1 and 8, 16bc–17, 20–21 Offer to God a sacrifice of praise.

1st Reading: Gen 4:1–15, 25* Adam had intercourse with Eve his wife; she became pregnant and gave birth to a child. She named him Cain, for she said, “I have got a man with help from Yahweh.” She later gave birth to Abel, his brother. Abel was a shepherd and kept flocks, and Cain tilled the soil. It happened after a time that Cain brought fruits of the soil as an offering to Yahweh.

Abel for his part brought the firstborn of his flock, and some fat as well. Now Yahweh was well pleased with Abel and his offering, but towards Cain and his offering he showed no pleasure. This made Cain very angry and downcast. Then Yahweh said to Cain, “Why are you angry and downcast? …

Cain said to his brother Abel, “Let’s go to the fields.” Once there, Cain turned on his brother Abel and killed him. Yahweh said to Cain, “Where is your brother, Abel?” He answered, “I don’t know; am I my brother’s keeper?”

Yahweh asked, “What have you done? Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground. Now be cursed and driven from the ground that has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood that your hand has shed. …

Gospel: Mk 8:11–13 The Pharisees came and started to argue with Jesus. Hoping to embarrass him, they asked for some heavenly sign. Then his spirit was moved. He gave a deep sigh and said, “Why do the people of this present time ask for a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this people.” Then he left them, got into the boat again and went to the other side of the lake.

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ain displayed a shameful tone of presumptuous impudence in his insulting reply to God. It was an indication of the state of his heart, leading up to him murdering his brother. He would not have accomplished the brutal deed of fratricide if he had not, at first, cast off any fear of God and been ready to defy his creator. He replied: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” This response goes a long way to explain what has puzzled some people: namely the amazing calmness with which great criminals often appear on trial.

Let us note here that we must remember we are not without guilt ourselves. If we look at it without prejudice, every kind of excuse we make to God is a serious case of presumption. When we sin and are guilt-ridden, if we begin denying the sin or providing extenuating circumstances, then we are guilty of the sin of Cain: that of impudence before God. All our knowledge, all our experience, all we have, is God-given and demands a return in the form of service rendered to others.

17

tuesday 1st Reading: Gen 6:5–8; 7:1–5, 10 Yahweh saw how great was the wickedness of man on the earth and that evil was always the only thought of his heart.

6th Week in Ordinary Time Yahweh regretted having created man on the earth and his Seven Founders of the Order of Servites heart grieved. He said, “I will destroy man whom I created and Psalter: Week 2 blot him out from the face of the earth, as well as the beasts, creeping creatures and birds, for I am sorry I made them.” But Ps 29:1a and 2, 3ac–4, Noah was pleasing to God. 3b and 9c–10 Yahweh said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your The Lord will bless his people household, for I see that you are just in this generation. Of with peace. all the clean animals, you are to take with you seven of each kind, male and female, and a pair of unclean animals, a male and a female. In the same way for the birds of the air, take seven and seven, male and female, to keep their kind alive over all the earth, for in seven days I will send rain on the earth for forty days and forty nights. I will blot out from the face of the earth all the living creatures I have created.” Noah did all as Yahweh had commanded. Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters covered the earth. And after seven days the waters of the flood were over the earth.

February

Gospel: Mk 8:14–21 The disciples had forgotten to bring more bread and had only one loaf with them in the boat. Then Jesus warned them, “Keep your eyes open and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” And they said to one another, “He saw that we have no bread.”

Aware of this, Jesus asked them, “Why are you talking about the loaves you are short of? Do you not see or understand?

Are your minds closed? Have you eyes that don’t see and ears that don’t hear? And do you not remember when I broke the five loaves among five thousand? How many baskets full of leftovers did you collect?” They answered, “Twelve.” “And having seven loaves for the four thousand, how many wicker baskets of leftovers did you collect?” They answered, “Seven.”

Then Jesus said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

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ne of the most remarkable things concerning the biblical world was the destruction of it by God in the deluge, or flood. We are told of the abounding sinfulness of that wicked world, God’s just wrath and His resolve to punish it. God saw that every heart was deceitful and desperately wicked; their principles were corrupt; their habits and dispositions evil. He saw it all as a tender father sees the stubbornness of a rebellious and disobedient child, who grieves him and makes him wish he had been childless.

The words used here are remarkable; they do not, however, mean that God changes or is unhappy. Does God hate our sin? He repented that He had made humankind; but, we never find Him repent that He redeemed us. God spoke resolutely concerning the world, after He had long been struggling with it in vain. Only those who refuse to be reformed by the grace of God will be punished by the justice of God. And that just might be the most remarkable thing to take away from the tale of the destruction of the world in the flood!

18 February wednesday

6th Week in Ordinary Time Psalter: Week 2

Ps 116:12–13, 14–15, 18–19 To you, Lord, I will offer a sacrifice of praise.

1st Reading: Gen 8:6–13, 20–22* At the end of the forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had built and let the raven out. This went off and kept flying to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. Then Noah let out the dove to see if the waters were receding from the earth. But the dove could not find a place to set its foot and flew back to him in the ark for the waters still covered the surface of the whole earth. … He waited some more days and again sent the dove out from the ark. This time the dove came back to him in the evening with a fresh olive branch in its beak.

Then Noah knew the waters had receded from the earth. He waited seven more days and let the dove loose, but it did not return to him any more. … Noah then removed the covering from the ark and looked out and saw that the surface of the earth was dry.

Noah built an altar to Yahweh and, taking some of all the clean animals and all the clean birds, he offered burnt offerings on it. Yahweh smelled the pleasing aroma and said to himself: “Never again will I curse the earth because of man, even though his heart is set on evil from childhood; never again will I strike down every living creature as I have done.

As long as the earth lasts, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease to be.”

Gospel: Mk 8:22–26 When Jesus and his disciples came to Bethsaida, Jesus was asked to touch a blind man who was brought to him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.

When he had put spittle on his eyes and laid his hands upon him, he asked, “Can you see anything?” The man, who was beginning to see, replied, “I see people! They look like trees, but they move around.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again and the man could see perfectly. His sight was restored and he could see everything clearly. Then Jesus sent him home saying, “Do not return to the village.”

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oah then sent out a dove, which returned the first time without good news; but the second time, she brought an olive leaf in her bill that must have been plucked off a tree, plainly showing that life had begun to appear above water. He sent out the dove for a third time after yet another seven days also…probably on the Sabbath day…and this time the dove, having found a home, did not need to return. The dove is an emblem of a gracious soul, that, finding no solid peace or satisfaction in this deluged, defiling world, returns to Christ as if to the ark, as if to Noah, its haven of rest. Like the raven, we can take up with the world and feeds on the carrion it finds there; but our souls yearn always to return to God, our haven of rest. And as Noah put forth his hand, took the dove, and pulled her to him into the ark, so God will take us, save and help us, and welcome all those who flee to Him for rest. This is also the reason why the dove has become for us the international symbol of peace!

1st Reading: Gen 9:1–13 God blessed Noah and his sons and he said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth. Fear and dread of you will be in all the animals of the earth and in all the birds of the air, upon everything that creeps on the ground and all the fish of the sea. They are given to you. Everything that moves and lives shall be food for you; as I gave you the green plants, I have now given you everything. Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is its blood. But I will also demand a reckoning for your lifeblood. I will demand it from every animal; and from man, too, I will demand a reckoning for the life of his fellow man. He who sheds the blood of man shall have his blood shed by man; for in the image of God has God made man.

As for you, be fruitful and increase. Abound on the earth and be master of it.”

God spoke to Noah and his son, “See I am making a covenant with you and with your descendants after you; also with every living animal with you: birds, cattle, that is, with every living creature of the earth that came out of the ark.

I establish my covenant with you. Never again will all life be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again will there be a flood to destroy the earth.” God said, “This is the sign of the covenant I make between me and you, and every animal living with you for all future generations. I set my bow in the clouds and it will be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth.

thursday

February

19

6th Week in Ordinary Time Psalter: Week 2

Ps 102:16–18, 19–21, 29 and 22-23 From the heaven the Lord looks down on the earth.

Gospel: Mk 8:27–33 Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do people say I am?” And they told him, “Some say you are John the Baptist; others say you are Elijah or one of the prophets.”

Then Jesus asked them, “But you, who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.” And he ordered them not to tell anyone about him. Jesus then began to teach them that the Son of Man had to suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the Law. He would be killed and after three days rise again. Jesus said all this quite openly, so that Peter took him aside and began to protest strongly. But Jesus turning around, and looking at his disciples, rebuked Peter saying, “Get behind me Satan! You are thinking, not as God does, but as people do.”

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ther people think caring for the environment unimportant, believing that this world will pass away with the final coming of God’s kingdom. However, what is different is that God will prevail, rather than human wickedness. And wickedness is exactly what we are seeing today in global warming. Because of human wickedness, the climate is changing; it is warming slowly but steadily. God cares deeply about the Earth. When we mistreat it or exploit it for our own aims we are failing to care for the Earth as God meant for us to care for it. Caring for the Earth is part of what it means for us to live as children of God!

20 February friday

6th Week in Ordinary Time Psalter: Week 2

Ps 33:10–11, 12–13, 14–15 Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

1st Reading: Gen 11:1–9 The whole world had one language and a common speech.

As people moved from east, they found a plain in the country of Shinar where they settled.

They said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks and bake them in fire.” They used brick for stone and bitumen for mortar. They said also, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top reaching heaven; so that we may become a great people and not be scattered over the face of the earth!” Yahweh came down to see the city and the tower that the sons of man were building, and Yahweh said, “They are one people and they have one language. If they carry this through, nothing they decide to do from now on will be impossible. Come! Let us go down and confuse their language so that they will no longer understand each other.”

So Yahweh scattered them over all the earth and they stopped building the city. That is why it was called Babel, because there Yahweh confused the language of the whole earth and from there Yahweh scattered them over the whole face of the earth.

Gospel: Mk 8:34–9:1 Jesus called the people and his disciples and said, “If you want to follow me, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me. For if you choose to save your life, you will lose it; and if you lose your life for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel, you will save it.

“What good is it to gain the whole world but destroy yourself? There is nothing you can give to recover your life. I tell you: If anyone is ashamed of me and of my words among this adulterous and sinful people, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when he comes in the Glory of his Father with the holy angels.” And he went on to say, “Truly I tell you, there are some here who will not die before they see the kingdom of God coming with power.”

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he story of the Tower of Babel is about disobedience, arrogance and the human need to erect symbols of our achievement. As for arrogance in the modern world, if we look back only sixtyfive years, we see terrible arrogance that led to devastating human destruction. The arrogance of Nazi Germans was their belief that they could create a master race. Their arrogance allowed no limits to what they believed they could do to human life. Their hubris led them to conduct horrendous experiments in extermination camps, where millions of people were destroyed, all in the name of racial purity.

Arrogance is our way of saying to God, “I don’t need you and I don’t have to answer to you.” But, whenever we put ourselves in the place of God, we’re sure to suffer for it. God reminds us who we are and how we should be leading our lives. We can all recognize times when we’ve been slapped off our pedestals and reminded that we weren’t “all that”. But, sometimes it takes a bigger, more painful slap before we get the message. Let’s never forget that we’re not the master-builders we thought we were!

1st Reading: Heb 11:1–7* Faith is the assurance of what we hope for, being certain of what we cannot see. Because of their faith our ancestors were approved. By faith we understand that the stages of creation were disposed by God’s word, and what is visible came from what cannot be seen. Because of Abel’s faith his offering was more acceptable than that of his brother Cain, which meant he was upright, and God himself approved his offering. …

By faith Enoch was taken to heaven, instead of experiencing death: he could not be found because God had taken him. In fact, it is said that before being taken up he had pleased God. Yet without faith it is impossible to please him: no one draws near to God without first believing that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him earnestly. By faith Noah was instructed of events which could not yet be seen and, heeding what he heard, he built a boat in which to save his family. The faith of Noah condemned the world and he reached holiness born of faith.

saturday

February

21

6th Week in Ordinary Time Peter Damian Psalter: Week 2

Ps 145:2–3, 4–5, 10–11 I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

Gospel: Mk 9:2–13* Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain. There his appearance was changed before their eyes. Even his clothes shone, becoming as white as no bleach of this world could make them. Elijah and Moses appeared to them; the two were talking with Jesus.

Then Peter spoke and said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here; let us make three tents, one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” For he did not know what to say; they were overcome with awe. But a cloud formed, covering them in a shadow, and from the cloud came this word, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him.” And suddenly, as they looked around, they no longer saw anyone except Jesus with them.

As they came down the mountain, he ordered them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man be risen from the dead. So they kept this to themselves, although they discussed with one another what ‘to rise from the dead’ could mean. …

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n Church tradition, the event in today’s Gospel is called the Transfiguration. It is an account of Jesus being wonderfully changed and being wonderfully owned by God. We sometimes forget that Jesus was human and that he had to struggle mightily against the pressures and temptations that were brought with such force against him. This event, more graphically and more forcefully than any other, demonstrated the superiority of Jesus Christ over all previous, messianic systems and teachers. The Transfiguration has rich meaning for each of us today. It enables us to feel God’s glory and majesty more than we could possibly feel it without this dramatic scene. It helps us to get a little of the spine-tingling, awe-inspiring feeling that we need when we contemplate the greatness of God and Christ. We are more likely to be ready to meet Christ in all his glory at the judgment, if we feel something of it in this life. And our respect for Christ and his teachings becomes all the greater because of this Transfiguration.

1st Reading: Is 43:18–19, 21–22, 24–25 Thus, says the Lord: “Do not dwell on the past, or remember the things of old.

“Look, I am doing a new thing: now it springs forth.

“Do you not see? I am opening up a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

“I have formed this people for myself; they will proclaim my praise.

“You have not called upon me, O Jacob, indeed you were tired of me, O Israel; “You have not spent money on sweet frankincense for me, neither have you satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices.

“Instead you have burdened me with your sins and wearied me with your offenses.

“Is it I, I am He who blots out your offenses for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”

2nd Reading: 2 Cor 1:18–22 God knows that our dealing with you is not Yes and No, just as the Son of God, Christ Jesus, whom we—Silvanus, Timothy and I—preach to you, was not Yes and No; with him it was simply Yes. In him all the promises of God have come to be a Yes, and we also say in his name: Amen! giving thanks to God. God himself has anointed Ps 41:2–3, 4–5b, 13–14 us and strengthens us with you to serve Christ; Lord, heal my soul, he has marked us with his own seal in a first for I have sinned against you. outpouring of the Spirit in our hearts.

sunday

22

Gospel: Mk 2:1–12 After some days Jesus returned to Capernaum.

As the news spread that he was at home, so many people gathered that there was no longer 7th Sunday in Ordinary Time room even outside the door. While Jesus was Psalter: Week 3 preaching the Word to them, some people brought a paralyzed man to him.

The four men who carried him couldn’t get near Jesus because of the crowd, so they opened the roof above the room where Jesus was and, through the hole, lowered the man on his mat. When Jesus saw the faith of these people, he said to the paralytic, “My son, your sins are forgiven.”

Now, some teachers of the Law who were sitting there wondered within themselves, “How can he speak like this insulting God? Who can forgive sins except God?” At once Jesus knew through his spirit what they were thinking and asked, “Why do you wonder? Is it easier to say to this paralyzed man: ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say: ‘Rise, take up your mat and walk?’ But now you shall know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.”

And he said to the paralytic, “Stand up, take up your mat and go home.” The man rose and, esus was moved by the faith of those people in the sight of all those people, he took up his who helped the paralyzed man. In their faith, mat and went out. All of them were astonished Jesus saw their concerns and love for someone and praised God saying, “We have never seen who is really in dire need of healing, so He did anything like this!” not disappoint them. Sometimes we can be in similar situations in life with that of the paralyzed man or with the people who helped him.

The paralyzed man is obviously in the mercy of other people. Sometimes we need people who can guide and bring us back to Jesus.

Because of the many paralyses in life that we experience—poverty, addiction to any form of vices, depression, etc.—we find it hard to walk back to Jesus and ask Him for healing. Thus we need other people, our family and friends, to carry us. On the other hand, we can be the other people who helped the paralyzed man.

The love and concerns we have for our suffering neighbors compel us to help them. This action is pleasing in the eyes of Jesus. So, whether we are the paralyzed man or the people who helped him, Jesus wants us to have faith in him. If we have faith, Jesus will not fail us.

February

J

23 February monday

7th Week in Ordinary Time Polycarp Psalter: Week 3

Ps 93:1ab, 1cd–2, 5 The Lord is king; he is robed in majesty.

1st Reading: Sir 1:1–10 All wisdom comes from the Lord and endures with him forever. The grains of sand, the drops of rain and the days of eternity, who can count them? The height of heaven, the extent of the earth and the depths of the abyss, who can measure them? Wisdom was created before all things and the prudent intellect before the beginning of time. To whom was the source of Wisdom revealed? Who has known her secret designs? One alone is wise and greatly to be feared.

The One who is seated upon his throne. The Lord himself created Wisdom. He looked on her and knew her value. He poured her out over all his works; upon all mortal beings, in accordance with his goodness. He lavished her on those who love him.

Gospel: Mk 9:14–29* … He asked, “What are you arguing about with them?” A man answered him from the crowd, “Master, I brought my son to you for he has a dumb spirit. … I asked your disciples to drive the spirit out, but they could not.”

Jesus replied, “You faithless people. How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to me.” And they brought the boy to him. As soon as the spirit saw Jesus, it shook and convulsed the boy who fell on the ground and began rolling about, foaming at the mouth. Then Jesus asked the father, “How long has this been happening to him?” He replied, “From childhood. … If you can do anything, have pity on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, “Why do you say: ‘If you can?’ All things are possible for one who believes.”

Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe, but help the little faith I have.” Jesus saw that the crowd was increasing rapidly, so he ordered the evil spirit, “Dumb and deaf spirit, I command you: Leave the boy and never enter him again.” The evil spirit shook and convulsed the boy and with a terrible shriek came out. The boy lay like a corpse and people said, “He is dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him and the boy stood up. After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive out the spirit?” And he answered, “Only prayer can drive out this kind, nothing else.”

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hat was the problem here? The father of the suffering boy wondered why the disciples were lacking in healing power: why couldn’t they do exactly as Jesus had showed them that they could do? But Jesus wanted to teach them about how little faith they had. The problem was with the faithlessness of the people: lacking sufficient faith, they prevented the miracle of healing from occurring. Very much is promised to us, who believe. If we can’t be physically healed, it is sure that our hard hearts will be softened, our spiritual diseases will be cured and, weak as we are, we will find that we are able to hold out to the end. Those who complain of lack of faith just have to look to Christ for the grace to help them and his grace will be sufficient for them.

1st Reading: Sir 2:1–11 My son, if you have decided to serve the Lord, prepare yourself for trials. Keep your heart upright and remain resolute; do not be upset in the time of adversity. Hold fast to the Lord, do not separate yourself from him so that you may be successful to the end of your days. Accept all that happens to you, be patient when you are humbled, for as gold is tested in the fire, so those acceptable to God are tested in the crucible of humiliation. Have confidence in him and he will take care of you; follow the right path and hope in him. You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy and do not turn away lest you fall. You who fear the Lord, trust him and you will not lose your reward. You who fear the Lord, hope for all good things; hope for eternal joy and mercy. Remember what happened to your ancestors. Who has ever trusted in the Lord and been confounded? Who has persevered in fear of the Lord and been abandoned? Who has called upon him and not been heard? For the Lord is compassion and loving-kindness; he forgives our sins and saves us in time of distress.

tuesday

February

24

7th Week in Ordinary Time Psalter: Week 3

Ps 37:3–4, 18–19, 27–28, 39–40 Commit your life to the Lord, and he will help you.

Gospel: Mk 9:30–37 Jesus said to his disciples, “The Son of Man will be delivered into human hands. They will kill him, but three days after he has been killed, he will rise.” The disciples, however, did not understand these words and they were afraid to ask him what he meant.

They came to Capernaum and, once inside the house, Jesus asked them, “What were you discussing on the way?” But they did not answer because they had been arguing about who was the greatest. Then he sat down, called the Twelve and said to them, “If someone wants to be first, let him be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a little child, placed it in their midst, and putting his arms around it he said to them, “Whoever welcomes a child such as this in my name, welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me, welcomes not me but the One who sent me.”

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he disciples of Jesus were discussing which among them was the greatest. In other words, they still didn’t get it! Jesus was telling them of his own future suffering and impending death, and they were comparing themselves with each other, trying to work out who was the greatest, the most important among them. Jesus often used children to teach lessons. In the first century, children were especially regarded as insignificant. They had no power and no status, and were not considered full persons. Thus to embrace a child publicly was to embrace one who was insignificant.

By associating with the child, Jesus also chose insignificance. In contrast to the disciples’ discussion about who was their greatest, Jesus characterized greatness when he befriended the helpless, insignificant child. Just as children recognize their own insignificance, following Christ and denying ourselves involves becoming insignificant for His sake. So, that’s what we as Christians should do: choose insignificance over recognition, whenever such recognition would lead us away from actively loving God in our daily lives.

25 February wednesday

Ash Wednesday Psalter: Week 4

Ps 51:3–4, 5–6ab, 12–13, 14 and 17 Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

1st Reading: Jl 2:12–18* Yahweh says, “Yet even now, return to me with your whole heart, with fasting, weeping and mourning. Rend your heart, not your garment. Return to Yahweh, your God—gracious and compassionate.” Yahweh is slow to anger, full of kindness, and he repents of having punished. Who knows? Probably he will relent once more and spare some part of the harvest from which we may bring sacred offerings to Yahweh, your God. Blow the trumpet in Zion, proclaim a sacred fast, call a solemn assembly. … Between the vestibule and the altar, let the priests, Yahweh’s ministers, weep and say: Spare your people, Yahweh. Do not humble them or make them an object of scorn among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples: Where is their God? Yahweh has become jealous for his land; he has had pity on his people.

2nd Reading: 2 Cor 5:20–6:2 Gospel: Mt 6:1–6, 16–18* Jesus said to his disciples, “Be careful not to make a show of your righteousness before people. If you do so, you do not gain anything from your Father in heaven. When you give something to the poor, do not have it trumpeted before you, as do those who want to be seen in the synagogues and in the streets in order to be praised by the people. I assure you, they have been already paid in full. …

“When you pray, do not be like those who want to be seen.

They love to stand and pray in the synagogues or on street corners to be seen by everyone. I assure you, they have already been paid in full. When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father who is with you in secret; and your Father who sees what is kept secret will reward you.

“When you fast, do not put on a miserable face as do the hypo­crites. … When you fast, wash your face and make yourself look cheerful, because you are not fasting for appearances or for people, but for your Father who sees beyond appearances. And your Father, who sees what is kept secret will reward you.”

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oday is Ash Wednesday, the first of forty-six days of the Lenten Fast before Easter. On this day, all the Catholic faithful, according to ancient custom, approach the altar where the priest, dipping his thumb into previously blessed ashes, marks the forehead of each person with the sign of the cross and says these ancient words: “Remember that thou art dust and unto dust thou shalt return.”

This text focuses on our mortality, making it an incentive for us to take the call to repentance seriously. Today’s emphasis on mortality fits well into our experience of life: for all Christians, death should not be something to be feared, but rather welcomed as our entry into heaven, the Kingdom of God. We should observe Ash Wednesday by making it a day of fasting, abstinence from meat, contemplating our transgressions, and repentance.

1st Reading: Dt 30:15–20 See, I set before you on this day life and good, evil and death. I command you to love Yahweh, your God and follow his ways. Observe his commandments, his norms and his laws, and you will live and increase, and Yahweh will give you his blessing in the land you are going to possess. But if your heart turns away and does not listen, if you are drawn away and bow before other gods to serve them, I declare on this day that you shall perish. You shall not last in the land you are going to occupy on the other side of the Jordan.

Let the heavens and the earth listen, that they may be witnesses against you. I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore, choose life that you and your descendants may live, loving Yahweh, listening to his voice, and being one with him. In this is life for you and length of days in the land which Yahweh swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

thursday

February

26

Thursday After Ash Wednesday Psalter: Week 4

Ps 1:1–2, 3, 4 and 6 Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Gospel: Lk 9:22–25 Jesus said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things. He will be rejected by the elders and chief priests and teachers of the Law, and put to death. Then after three days he will be raised to life.”

Jesus also said to all the people, “If you wish to be a follower of mine, deny yourself and take up your cross each day, and follow me. For if you choose to save your life, you will lose it, and if you lose your life for my sake, you will save it. What does it profit you to gain the whole world while you destroy or damage yourself?”

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s the Son of Man and by his life, passion, death and resurrection, Jesus was fulfilling the messianic plan, as outlined in the Book of Daniel in the Old Testament. At the same time, he was taking his place as a true man among men, as the son of a woman. This is the fundamental truth of our Christian revelation and of the faith: Jesus Christ was both human and divine!

Then again, when Jesus talked to his disciples about his own sufferings and death, he was trying to tell his disciples not to be thinking of how to prevent his sufferings; rather, they should be preparing for their own. We often meet with crosses in our lives; and though we must not pull them down upon our own heads, yet when they are put in our way, we must take them up and carry them as valiantly as Jesus did. The body cannot be happy if the soul is miserable; but the soul can be happy even when the body is greatly afflicted and oppressed in this world. Whatever happens, we should never be ashamed of our love for Christ and his gospel!

27 February friday

Friday After Ash Wednesday Psalter: Week 4

Ps 51:3–4, 5–6ab, 18–19 A heart contrite and humbled, O God, you will not spurn.

1st Reading: Is 58:1–9a* Cry out aloud for all you are worth; raise your voice like a trumpet blast; tell my people of their offenses, Jacob’s family of their sins. … They want to know the just laws and not to drift away from their God. “Why are we fasting,” they complain, “and you do not even see it?

We are doing penance and you never notice it.”

Look, on your fast days you push your trade and you oppress your laborers.

Yes, you fast but end up quarreling, striking each other with wicked blows. … Is fasting merely bowing down one’s head, and making use of sackcloth and ashes?

Would you call that fasting, a day acceptable to Yahweh? … Fast by sharing your food with the hungry, bring to your house the homeless, clothe the one you see naked and do not turn away from your own kin.

Then will your light break forth as the dawn and your healing come in a flash.

Your righteousness will be your vanguard, the Glory of Yahweh your rearguard.

Then you will call and Yahweh will answer, you will cry and he will say, I am here.

Gospel: Mt 9:14–15 The disciples of John came to Jesus with the question, “How is it that we and the Pharisees fast on many occasions, but not your disciples?”

Jesus answered them, “How can you expect wedding guests to mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them?

Time will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, then they will fast.”

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esus rebuked very harshly the religious leaders of his time. He criticized the political leaders. He found fault with his disciples. But he was never angry or annoyed with the people. He did not tell them they were poor because they were lazy and did not make use of the opportunities offered to them. He did not tell them that their suffering was because of their sins. Jesus knew very well that the people who followed him were not saints, holy men and women; and they did not follow him purely for spiritual reasons.

When Jesus saw the crowd, his heart was moved with compassion, for they were like sheep without a shepherd. In biblical usage, the word ‘compassion’ is a very strong word. It means a movement of the heart from our own self to another. Our heart takes upon itself the suffering of the other. The suffering of the other becomes more a part of our own suffering than it is of the other person. We stand in the place of the other; we carry the other’s burden. It’s as if God is saying to us: “I have created heaven and earth; now I give you the power to make heaven on earth!”

1st Reading: Is 58:9b–14 If you remove from your midst the yoke, the clenched fist and the wicked word, if you share your food with the hungry and give relief to the oppressed, then your light will rise in the dark, your night will be like noon. Yahweh will guide you always and give you relief in desert places. He will strengthen your bones; he will make you as a watered garden, like a spring of water whose waters never fail. Your ancient ruins will be rebuilt, the age-old foundations will be raised. You will be called the Breach-mender, and the Restorer of ruined houses.

If you stop profaning the sabbath and doing as you please on the holy day, if you call the sabbath a day of delight and keep sacred Yahweh’s holy day, if you honor it by not going your own way, not doing as you please and not speaking with malice, then you will find happiness in Yahweh, over the heights you will ride triumphantly, and feast joyfully on the inheritance of your father Jacob you. The mouth of Yahweh has spoken.

saturday

February

28

Saturday After Ash Wednesday Psalter: Week 4

Ps 86:1–2, 3–4, 5–6 Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

Gospel: Lk 5:27–32 Jesus noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the taxoffice, he said to him, “Follow me.” So Levi, leaving everything, got up and followed Jesus.

Levi gave a great feast for Jesus, and many tax collectors came to his house and took their place at table with the other people. Then the Pharisees and their fellow teachers complained to Jesus’ disciples, “How is it that you eat and drink with tax collectors and other sinners?” But Jesus spoke up, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor, but sick people do. I have come to call to repentance; I call sinners, not the righteous.”

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e should never underestimate humankind’s ability to distort and confuse the plainest words written about Jesus. There is no question more repeatedly and clearly answered by him than this: Why did he come into the world? Jesus came into the world to save all of humankind. He came into the world to give his life as a ransom for those who didn’t know how they could be saved. He came to seek and to find those who were lost.

Jesus was not saying that there are people who do not need his salvation. But what he is saying is this: as long as we are like the Pharisees, having pride in our heart and not enough grace to know and feel our sins, then we cannot know the salvation that comes from Jesus Christ. Only those who, by a transforming love of Christ, by a work of the Spirit in their heart, only those who see and know themselves as sinners, only they are saved by Christ. He said: “I have come to call to repentance; I call sinners, not the righteous.”