Sunday, February 26, 2012 (First Sunday of Lent)

REFLECTION FOR TODAY
Frequent and daily Communion is greatly desired by our Lord and the Church. 
-- Pope St. Pius X

READINGS FOR TODAY
First Reading: Genesis 9:8-15
8 God spoke to Noah, and to his sons with him, saying,
9 “As for me, behold, I establish my covenant with you, and with your offspring after you,
10 and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every animal of the earth with you. Of all that go out of the ark, even every animal of the earth.

11 I will establish my covenant with you; neither will all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of the flood; neither will there any more be a flood to destroy the earth.”
12 God said, “This is the token of the covenant which I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations:
13 I set my rainbow in the cloud, and it will be for a sign of a covenant between me and the earth.
14 It will happen, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow will be seen in the cloud,
15 and I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh, and the waters will no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. 
Psalms: Psalm 25:4-9
4 Show me your ways, Yahweh. Teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth, and teach me,   For you are the God of my salvation,   I wait for you all day long.
6 Yahweh, remember your tender mercies and your loving kindness,   For they are from old times.
7 Don’t remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions.   Remember me according to your loving kindness,   For your goodness’ sake, Yahweh.
8 Good and upright is Yahweh,   Therefore he will instruct sinners in the way.
9 He will guide the humble in justice.   He will teach the humble his way.
Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:18-22 
18 Because Christ also suffered for sins once, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring you to God; being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;
19 in which he also went and preached to the spirits in prison,
20 who before were disobedient, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, while the ark was being built. In it, few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
21 This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you-- not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
22 who is at the right hand of God, having gone into heaven, angels and authorities and powers being made subject to him.
Gospel: Mark 1:12-15
(Jesus Calls Four Fishermen)
12 Immediately the Spirit drove him out into the wilderness.
13 He was there in the wilderness forty days tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals; and the angels were ministering to him.
14 Now after John was taken into custody, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand! Repent, and believe in the Gospel.”