Friday, February 17, 2012 (Weekday)

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
To purposely allow one's mind to wander in prayer is sinful and hinders the prayer from having fruit.
-- St. Thomas Aquinas

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: James 2:14-24, 26
(Faith and Actions)
14 What good is it, my brothers, if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Can faith save him?
15 And if a brother or sister is naked and in lack of daily food,
16 and one of you tells them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled;” and yet you didn’t give them the things the body needs, what good is it?

17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead in itself.
18 Yes, a man will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith from your works, and I by my works will show you my faith.
19 You believe that God is one. You do well. The demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But do you want to know, vain man, that faith apart from works is dead?
21 Wasn’t Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son on the altar?
22 You see that faith worked with his works, and by works faith was perfected;
23 and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness;” and he was called the friend of God.
24 You see then that by works, a man is justified, and not only by faith.
26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, even so faith apart from works is dead.
Psalms: Psalm 112:1-6(The Happiness of a Good Person)1 Praise Yah! Blessed is the man who fears Yahweh, Who delights greatly in his commandments.
2 His seed will be mighty in the land. The generation of the upright will be blessed.
3 Wealth and riches are in his house. His righteousness endures forever.
4 Light dawns in the darkness for the upright, Gracious, merciful, and righteous.
5 It is well with the man who deals graciously and lends. He will maintain his cause in judgment.
6 For he will never be shaken. The righteous will be remembered forever.
Gospel: Mark 8:34 -- 9:1(Deny Yourself and Follow me)34 He called the multitude to himself with his disciples, and said to them, “Whoever wants to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
35 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; and whoever will lose his life for my sake and the Gospel’s will save it.
36 For what does it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?
37 For what will a man give in exchange for his life?
38 For whoever will be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man also will be ashamed of him, when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
9:1
1 He said to them, “Most assuredly I tell you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste death until they see the Kingdom of God come with power.”