Daily Readings - Sun Feb 18 2018

First Reading - Genesis 9.8-15

⁸To Noah and to his sons with him, God also said this⁹"Behold, I will establish my covenant with you, and with your offspring after you¹⁰and with every living soul that is with you: as much with the birds as with the cattle and all the animals of the earth that have gone forth from the ark, and with all the wild beasts of the earth¹¹I will establish my covenant with you, and no longer will all that is flesh be put to death by the waters of a great flood, and, henceforth, there will not be a great flood to utterly destroy the earth.¹²And God said: "This is the sign of the pact that I grant between me and you, and to every living soul that is with you, for perpetual generations¹³I will place my arc in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the pact between myself and the earth¹⁴And when I obscure the sky with clouds, my arc will appear in the clouds¹⁵And I will remember my covenant with you, and with every living soul that enlivens flesh. And there will no longer be waters from a great flood to wipe away all that is flesh

Second Reading - 1 Peter 3.18-22

1 Peter

Chapter 3

¹⁸For Christ also died once for our sins, the Just One on behalf of the unjust, so that he might offer us to God, having died, certainly, in the flesh, but having been enlivened by the Spirit¹⁹And in the Spirit, he preached to those who were in prison, going to those soul²⁰who had been unbelieving in past times, while they waited for the patience of God, as in the days of Noah, when the ark was being built. In that ark, a few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water²¹And now you also are saved, in a similar manner, by baptism, not by the testimony of sordid flesh, but by the examination of a good conscience in God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ²²He is at the right hand of God, devouring death, so that we may be made heirs to eternal life. And since he has journeyed to heaven, the Angels and powers and virtues are subject to him

Gospel - Mark 1.12-15

Mark

Chapter 1

¹²And immediately the Spirit prompted him into the desert¹³And he was in the desert for forty days and forty nights. And he was tempted by Satan. And he was with the wild animals, and the Angels ministered to him¹⁴Then, after John was handed over, Jesus went into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God¹⁵and saying: "For the time has been fulfilled and the kingdom of God has drawn near. Repent and believe in the Gospel.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on God's covenant of mercy and our response to His call. In Genesis, we hear the story of Noah, where God establishes a covenant, promising never again to destroy the earth with a flood. The rainbow becomes a symbol of this promise, a reminder of God's faithfulness and mercy. This story underscores the theme of trust in God's plan, even in the face of uncertainty. In the second reading from 1 Peter, we see how this ancient story of salvation is linked to our own through baptism. Just as the ark saved Noah and his family from the flood, baptism saves us from sin, not through our own efforts, but through the power of Christ's resurrection. This reading emphasizes the spiritual renewal we receive in baptism, calling us to live with a clear conscience and trust in God's promises. The Gospel from Mark shows Jesus, immediately after His baptism, being led into the wilderness to face temptation. This period of testing prepares Him for His mission, demonstrating His trust in God's plan. Like Jesus, we are called to trust in God's providence, especially during challenging times. As we journey through our own wilderness experiences, may we, like Jesus, emerge strengthened and ready to proclaim the Good News of God's kingdom. In our daily lives, these readings encourage us to face challenges with faith, trusting in God's plan and mercy. Just as Noah trusted God's instructions to build the ark and Jesus trusted His Father during temptation, we too can trust in God's faithfulness. Let us live with the assurance of God's covenant, renewed in us through baptism, and respond to His call with repentance and belief. May we, like Jesus, be bearers of the Good News, living with mercy and trust in God's eternal promises.