"Thus will your faith be tested, like gold in a furnace. Gold, however, passes away

but faith worth so much more, will bring you in the end paraise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ appears."

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊   

James 1:12-18

 Happy are those who pa­tient­ly endure trials,

Because afterwards they will receive the crown of life which the Lord promised to those who love him.  No one, when tempted, should say, “This temptation comes from God.” God is never tempted and he can never tempt anyone.   Instead, each of us is lured and enticed by our own evil desire.   Once this desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and sin, when fully grown, gives birth to death.

 Do not be deceived, my beloved.   Every good and perfect gift comes from above, from the Father of Light, in whom there is no change or shadow of a change.   By his own will he gave us life through the Word of Truth, that we might be a kind of offering to him among his creatures.

 

Ps 94:12-13a, 14-15, 18-19

Blessed the man you instruct, O Lord.

 

 ＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊ 

Mark 8:14-21

 The disciples had forgotten to bring more bread and had only one loaf with them in the boat.   Then Jesus warned them, “Keep your eyes open and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”   And they said to one another, “He saw that we have no bread.”

Aware of this, Jesus asked them, “Why are you talking about the loaves you are short of? Do you not see or under­stand? Are your minds closed?   Have you eyes that don’t see and ears that don’t hear? And do you not remem­ber  when I broke the five loaves among five thousand?

How many baskets full of leftovers did you collect?” They answered, “Twelve.”   “And having seven loaves for the four thousand, how many wicker bas­kets of leftovers did you collect?” They answered, “Seven.”   Then Jesus said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

 

Gospel Reflection：

 A Frustrated Jesus

Out of the twelve sentences in today’s gospel, eight of them are questions from Jesus, that’s one too many questions! Jesus seems to be pretty frustrated with the “dumbness” of the disciples.

As per Mark’s sequence, this event appears close on the heels of Jesus refusing to give a sign to the Pharisees. He knew that the Pharisees asked for a sign out of malice and they had already shut their hearts against him.

They did not really know him; nor did they want to know him. But the disciples? Having lived with him day and night, having seen every intervention of his from close quarters, they still do not seem to have any clue or meaning for their own lives!

If so, how great could be the frustration on Jesus when he sees us with no clue about life and faith even after having fed on his Word and Sacrament for years on end!