5th Week in Ordinary Time
7th February 2023 (Tuesday) Readings and Reflection
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Reading of the Day
First Reading: Genesis 1:20-2:4a
God said, "Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the firmament of the heavens." So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth." And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day. And God said, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds." And it was so. And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds, and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. And God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the seal and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation. These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.
Psalm 8:4-5, 6-7a, 7b-9 (R. 2ab)
R/. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name through all the earth!
Gospel : Mark 7:1-13
At that time: When the Pharisees gathered to Jesus, with some of the scribes, who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the market-place, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.) And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?" And he said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, 'This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men." And he said to them, "You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! For Moses said, 'Honour your father and your mother'; and, 'Whoever reviles father or mother, must surely die.' But you say, 'If a man tells his father or his mother, 'Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban' (that is, given to God)- then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do."
Daily Gospel Reflection
The Reflection by Fr. Thumma Mariadas Reddy MSFS{alertWarning}
Main Theme: Be sensitive and compassionate!
Indicative: Our God is very sensitive toward us. He senses and feels our needs and struggles. He is ever moved with compassion and promptly comes to our aid{alertSuccess}
1. We have today a clear image of a true Master and a disciple like the Master. The Lord is truly the great Shepherd of the sheep. He feels compassion for the people and cares for them, teaching them, guiding, and healing them. His spirit is undaunted, and his mission is untiring, to the extent of not bothering even about rest or food.
2. Quite true to the words in the first reading, Letter to Hebrews, the Master equips his disciples with every good that they may always do God’s will. He works in them that which is pleasing in God’s sight. He keeps watch over them and feels deeply concerned for them.
3. The disciples too inherit the same mission and imbibe the same spirit of relentless commitment. They passionately imitate their Master. They readily submit to their sole Leader. Like their Master, they offer pleasing sacrifices to God.
4. These sacrifices consist in never neglecting to do good, and ever sharing the immense treasure of faith they have. With a clear conscience, they desire to act honourably in all things. They do everything joyfully and not grudgingly. They live lives accountable to their Master.
5. We are the disciples for today, and also the leaders, and the shepherds of the people entrusted to us. If we are to be true to our call and mission, then we need to be imbued with and ignited by the same spirit of surrender, joy, and benevolence in unswerving commitment.
Imperative: There may be rest for the body. But there is no rest for the spirit. There may be a pause from physical work and activity, but no pause for God’s mission. Food may satisfy physical hunger, but only doing God’s will is the nourishment that satiates the deep spiritual hunger.{alertSuccess}