Feb 27 2025

First reading Ecclesiasticus 5:1-10

Do not delay your return to the Lord

Do not give your heart to your money,

or say, ‘With this I am self-sufficient.’

Do not be led by your appetites and energy

to follow the passions of your heart.

And do not say, ‘Who has authority over me?’

for the Lord will certainly be avenged on you.

Do not say, ‘I sinned, and what happened to me?’

for the Lord’s forbearance is long.

Do not be so sure of forgiveness

that you add sin to sin.

And do not say, ‘His compassion is great,

he will forgive me my many sins’;

for with him are both mercy and wrath,

and his rage bears heavy on sinners.

Do not delay your return to the Lord,

do not put it off day after day;

for suddenly the Lord’s wrath will blaze out,

and at the time of vengeance you will be utterly destroyed.

Do not set your heart on ill-gotten gains,

they will be of no use to you on the day of disaster.

Responsorial Psalm 1:1-4,6

Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Blessed the man who follows not
the counsel of the wicked
Nor walks in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the company of the insolent,
But delights in the law of the Lord
and meditates on his law day and night.
Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
He is like a tree
planted near running water,
That yields its fruit in due season,
and whose leaves never fade.
Whatever he does, prospers.
Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.
Not so the wicked, not so;
they are like chaff which the wind drives away.
For the Lord watches over the way of the just,
but the way of the wicked vanishes.
Blessed are they who hope in the Lord.

Gospel Mark 9:41-50

If your hand should cause you to sin, cut it off

Jesus said to his disciples:

‘If anyone gives you a cup of water to drink just because you belong to Christ, then I tell you solemnly, he will most certainly not lose his reward.

‘But anyone who is an obstacle to bring down one of these little ones who have faith, would be better thrown into the sea with a great millstone round his neck. And if your hand should cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life crippled, than to have two hands and go to hell, into the fire that cannot be put out. And if your foot should cause you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter into life lame, than to have two feet and be thrown into hell. And if your eye should cause you to sin, tear it out; it is better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell where their worm does not die nor their fire go out. For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is a good thing, but if salt has become insipid, how can you season it again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.’

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Living according to our faith

“Do not rely on money to make you independent. Do not think you have to have everything you want and then spend your energy trying to get it.” (First reading) The Book of Ecclesiasticus tells us that having faith in God does not align with the worldly pursuit of wealth. Instead, it encourages us to focus our attention on our relationship with God rather than making money the centre of our lives.

In the gospel, Jesus emphasizes that our actions (represented by our hands) can be selfish and fail to help others. The paths we choose (indicated by our feet) may lead us to forget God and become consumed by our own ego. Additionally, if we judge others based on our perspective (symbolised by our eyes) and exclude them from our circles, then we are far away from the Kingdom of God. Jesus invites us to be the salt of the earth, to bring the Christian flavour of God’s love into the environments where we are by living our faith rooted in His love. This enables us to love others in the same way.

Reflective question:
How can I strengthen my faith in order to be salt for the world?

Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year C” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.