6TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME
Psalter: Week 2 / (White)
Sts. Cyril & Methodius
Ps 29:1a & 2, 3ac-4, 3b & 9c-10
The Lord will bless his people with peace.
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. Yahweh regretted having created man on the earth and his heart grieved. He said, “I will destroy man whom I created and 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 Noah was pleasing to God.
Yahweh said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I see that you are just in this generation. Of 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.
And after seven days the waters of the flood were over the earth.
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 distributed seven loaves to 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?“
REFLECTION:
“Our God Saves“
The story of the flood tells us that the wickedness of man had become so widespread that God, who at creation saw that all that he had created “was very good“ had now become so corrupted as a result of the sin of man. Now Scripture tells us that God was so displeased that he was ready to destroy all of creation!
Once again, as in yesterday’s reading, God’s justice is immediately tempered by his mercy as He finds Noah and instructs him to build an ark so as to save all creation (the symbolic number 7) for a new order. Even as God punishes he also makes plans for restoration! Our God is a God who Saves, indeed! His mercy always shines out.
As we wish “Happy Valentine“ our loved ones today, it is good to remember that to say “I love you“ is also to say “I forgive you!“ Our God is a God of love!
Daily Reflection
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Biblical Texts are taken from Christian Community Bible, Catholic Pastoral Edition (57th Edition) The New English Translation for the ROMAN MISSAL
With permission from the EPISCOPAL COMMISION ON LITURGY of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines
Readings and Reflections
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