Tuesday, February 16, 2021

 

Tuesday of the Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(Genesis 5:5-8.7:1-5.10; Mark 8:14-21)

Just as winter rains prepare for Spring plowing, today’s first reading about Noah us prepares for Lent.  The reading mentions the vast extent of human wickedness.  Then it shows God taking action to curtail it.  Likewise, God gives us the season of Lent to root out the sin that prevents our lives from growing in love.

We are not too different from the disciples in today’s gospel.  They think that Jesus is referring to rotten bread when he speaks of the leaven of Herod and the Pharisees.  But Jesus has something else in mind.  The leaven represents inflated egos which cannot believe in Jesus.  They refuse to have faith even after he meets the needs of thousands of people with his words and blessings.  Some of us, at least, doubt that Jesus is God’s Son even after thousands of saints have testified to him with their lives.

So we prepare again to renew our faith during Lent.  We will desist from frivolous activity to concentrate on what the Lord is telling us.  We will do all that he asks of us.  We will look forward to a stronger relationship with the Lord as we celebrate his rising from the dead on Easter.

No comments: