February 15
Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time
Give a Mass Offering
Mass Intentions
7:45 AM – Living Intention of the Family of Faustina Raddell / Chuck & Regina Harty
Prayer for Spiritual Communion
My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most Blessed Sacrament. I love You above all things and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot now receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there, and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.
Readings
First Reading
James 1:12-18
Blessed is he who perseveres in temptation, for when he has been proven he will receive the crown of life that he promised to those who love him. No one experiencing temptation should say, “I am being tempted by God”; for God is not subject to temptation to evil, and he himself tempts no one. Rather, each person is tempted when lured and enticed by his desire. Then desire conceives and brings forth sin, and when sin reaches maturity it gives birth to death.
Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters: all good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no alteration or shadow caused by change. He willed to give us birth by the word of truth that we may be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms 94:12-13a, 14-15, 18-19
R. (12a) Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.
Blessed the man whom you instruct, O LORD,
whom by your law you teach,
Giving him rest from evil days.
R. Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.
For the LORD will not cast off his people,
nor abandon his inheritance;
But judgment shall again be with justice,
and all the upright of heart shall follow it.
R. Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.
When I say, “My foot is slipping,
your mercy, O LORD, sustains me;
When cares abound within me,
your comfort gladdens my soul.
R. Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.
Gospel Acclamation
John 14:23
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord;
and my Father will love him
and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Mark 8:14-21
The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” They concluded among themselves that it was because they had no bread. When he became aware of this he said to them, “Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?” They answered him, “Twelve.” “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?” They answered him, “Seven.” He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”
“Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.”
Reflection
The concept of temptation is one that torments all of us in our attempts to live godly lives. Our readings for today explore the complexities of temptation and help us to understand how it works in our minds and hearts. James tells us that temptation comes from the desires that are placed on us by sin. An example of this is how we want things that we come across in the world. We have a nice car, but we want a nicer one. We have a good house, but we may want a better one in a nicer neighborhood. If we are smart, we might take a lesson from Mick Jagger of the Rolling Stones who tells us, “You can’t always get what you want.” If we turn to God, then we get what we need.
We see the disciples having problems with temptation in our gospel from Mark today. They are warned by Jesus to watch out for the Pharisees and Herod. Jesus is telling them that it is possible that the disciples may want to obtain the same level of graft and corruption that they have. It can certainly be attractive to see the opulent lifestyles that are lived by the Pharisees and the king. They live in beautiful houses and eat sumptuously each night, but everything they have gained has been obtained by dishonest means. The Pharisees are hypocrites who pose as pious religious figures but are nothing but hustlers and con artists. Herod has obtained everything he has because he has made deals with the Romans to keep him in his office. He is sending much of his money to Rome to support his own dishonesty.
What Jesus is telling the disciples and us is that we should work hard to accept what we have, to be free of the covetous nature that the Pharisees and Herod have. If we are able to accept what we do have, then it will be easier to give them up for the Kingdom of God–something far more valuable than houses or cars.
God bless,
Deacon Dare
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