February 23, 2017

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  Do not rely on your wealth,
or say, “I have enough.”
Do not follow your inclination and strength
in pursuing the desires of your heart.
Do not say, “Who can have power over me?”
for the Lord will surely punish you.
Do not say, “I sinned, yet what has happened to me?”
for the Lord is slow to anger.
Do not be so confident of forgiveness
that you add sin to sin.
Do not say, “His mercy is great,
he will forgive the multitude of my sins,”
for both mercy and wrath are with him,
and his anger will rest on sinners.
Sirach 5:1-10

Do not delay to turn back to the Lord,
and do not postpone it from day to day;
for suddenly the wrath of the Lord will come upon you,
and at the time of punishment you will perish.
Do not depend on dishonest wealth,
for it will not benefit you on the day of calamity.
Do not winnow in every wind,
or follow every path.
Stand firm for what you know,
and let your speech be consistent.

Mark 9:41-50

Jesus said to his disciples, “For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.

  “If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were hung around your neck and you were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than to have two hands and to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame than to have two feet and to be thrown into hell. And if your eye causes you to stumble, tear it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and to be thrown into hell, where their worm never dies, and the fire is never quenched.

  “For everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good; but if salt has lost its saltiness, how can you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

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Scripture passage from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.