Daily Readings - Tue Feb 06 2018

First Reading - 1 Kings 8.22-23, 27-30

²²Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord, in the sight of the assembly of Israel, and he extended his hands toward heaven²³And he said: "Lord God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above, nor on the earth below. You preserve covenant and mercy with your servants, who walk before you with all their heart²⁷Is it, then, to be understood that truly God would dwell upon the earth? For if heaven, and the heavens of heavens, are not able to contain you, how much less this house, which I have built²⁸Yet look with favor upon the prayer of your servant and upon his petitions, O Lord, my God. Listen to the hymn and the prayer, which your servant prays before you this day²⁹so that your eyes may be open over this house, night and day, over the house about which you said, ‘My name shall be there,’ so that you may heed the prayer that your servant is praying in this place to you³⁰So may you heed the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel, whatever they will pray for in this place, and so may you heed them in your dwelling place in heaven. And when you heed, you will be gracious

Gospel - Mark 7.1-13

Mark

Chapter 7

¹And the Pharisees and some of the scribes, arriving from Jerusalem, gathered together before him²And when they had seen certain ones from his disciples eating bread with common hands, that is, with unwashed hands, they disparaged them³For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat without repeatedly washing their hands, holding to the tradition of the elders⁴And when returning from the market, unless they wash, they do not eat. And there are many other things which have been handed down to them to observe: the washings of cups, and pitchers, and bronze containers, and beds⁵And so the Pharisees and the scribes questioned him: "Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but they eat bread with common hands?⁶But in response, he said to them: "So well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, just as it has been written: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me⁷And in vain do they worship me, teaching the doctrines and precepts of men.⁸For abandoning the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men, to the washing of pitchers and cups. And you do many other things similar to these.⁹And he said to them: "You effectively nullify the precept of God, so that you may observe your own tradition¹⁰For Moses said: ‘Honor your father and your mother,’ and, ‘Whoever will have cursed father or mother, let him die a death.¹¹But you say, ‘If a man will have said to his father or mother: Korban, (which is a gift) whatever is from me will be to your benefit,¹²then you do not release him to do anything for his father or mother¹³rescinding the word of God through your tradition, which you have handed down. And you do many other similar things in this way.

Sermon

The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of worship, tradition, and the relationship between God and humanity. In the first reading, Solomon dedicates the Temple in Jerusalem, acknowledging God’s transcendence while humbly asking for God’s presence and favor. He recognizes that even the heavens cannot contain God, yet he petitions for God’s attention and grace upon the Temple and the people. This passage emphasizes the importance of prayer, humility, and trust in God’s providence. Solomon’s words remind us that true worship is not about the grandeur of a physical structure but about the sincerity of the heart. In the Gospel, Jesus critiques the Pharisees and scribes for prioritizing human traditions over God’s commandments. They focus on rituals like hand-washing and the cleansing of vessels, yet they neglect the deeper truths of faith. Jesus quotes Isaiah to expose their hypocrisy: they honor God with their lips, but their hearts are far from him. He condemns their practice of nullifying God’s laws, such as the commandment to honor one’s parents, by elevating their own traditions. This passage challenges us to examine our own practices and ensure that our faith is rooted in love and sincerity rather than empty rituals. Both readings call us to authenticity in our relationship with God. Solomon’s prayer teaches us to approach God with humility and trust, recognizing that true worship is not confined to a physical place but flows from a sincere heart. Jesus’ words warn us against allowing traditions or rules to overshadow the substance of our faith. In our daily lives, let us strive to balance reverence for tradition with a deeper commitment to living out God’s commandments. May our worship and actions reflect a genuine love for God, untainted by hypocrisy or superficiality.