Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 7, 2020
First Reading: Sirach 47.2-11
2And just as fat is separated from meat, so was David separated from the sons of Israel3He played with lions, as if with lambs, and he acted similarly with bears, as if they were lambs of the flock, in his youth4Did he not kill the giant, and take away the reproach from his people5By lifting up his hand, with a stone in a sling, he threw down the boasting of Goliath6For he called upon the Almighty Lord, and he swore with his right hand to take away the mighty man of war, and to exalt the horn of his people7So he glorified him amid ten thousand, and he praised him with the blessings of the Lord, by offering him a crown of glory8For he crushed the enemies on every side, and he eradicated his adversaries, the Philistines, even to this day. He broke their horn, even for all time9In all his works, he gave thanks to the Holy One, to the Most High, with words of glory10With all his heart, he praised the Lord and he loved God, who made him and who gave him power against his enemies11And he appointed singers to stand opposite the altar, and by their voices he provided sweet music
Psalm 18
1Unto the end. For David, the servant of the Lord, who spoke the words of this canticle to the Lord, in the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said: I will love you, O Lord my strength.2The Lord is my firmament, my refuge, and my liberator. My God is my helper, and I hope in him: my protector, and the horn of my salvation, and my support3Praising, I will call upon the Lord. And I will be saved from my enemies4The sorrows of death surrounded me, and the torrents of iniquity dismayed me5The sorrows of Hell encompassed me, and the snares of death intercepted me6In my tribulation, I called upon the Lord, and I cried out to my God. And he listened to my voice from his holy temple. And my cry in his presence entered into his ears7The earth was shaken, and it trembled. The foundations of the mountains were disturbed, and they were shaken, because he was angry with them8A smoke ascended by his wrath, and a fire flared up from his face: coals were kindled by it9He bent the heavens, and they descended. And darkness was under his feet10And he ascended upon the cherubim, and he flew: he flew upon the feathers of the winds11And he set darkness as his hiding place, with his tabernacle all around him: dark waters in the clouds of the air12At the brightness that was before his sight, the clouds crossed by, with hail and coals of fire13And the Lord thundered from heaven, and the Most High uttered his voice: hail and coals of fire14And he sent forth his arrows and scattered them. He multiplied lightnings, and he set them in disarray15Then the fountains of waters appeared, and the foundations of the world were revealed, by your rebuke, O Lord, by the inspiration of the Spirit of your wrath16He sent from on high, and he accepted me. And he took me up, out of many waters17He rescued me from my strongest enemies, and from those who hated me. For they had been too strong for me18They intercepted me in the day of my affliction, and the Lord became my protector19And he led me out, into a wide place. He accomplished my salvation, because he willed me20And the Lord will reward me according to my justice, and he will repay me according to the purity of my hands21For I have preserved the ways of the Lord, and I have not behaved impiously before my God22For all his judgments are in my sight, and his justice, I have not pushed away from me23And I will be immaculate together with him, and I will keep myself from my iniquity24And the Lord will reward me according to my justice and according to the purity of my hands before his eyes25With the holy, you will be holy, and with the innocent, you will be innocent26and with the elect, you will be elect, and with the perverse, you will be perverse27For you will save the humble people, but you will bring down the eyes of the arrogant28For you illuminate my lamp, O Lord. My God, enlighten my darkness29For in you, I will be delivered from temptation; and with my God, I will climb over a wall30As for my God, his way is undefiled. The eloquence of the Lord has been examined by fire. He is the protector of all who hope in him31For who is God, except the Lord? And who is God, except our God32It is God who has wrapped me with virtue and made my way immaculate33It is he who has perfected my feet, like the feet of deer, and who stations me upon the heights34It is he who trains my hands for battle. And you have set my arms like a bow of brass35And you have given me the protection of your salvation. And your right hand sustains me. And your discipline has corrected me unto the end. And your discipline itself will teach me36You have expanded my footsteps under me, and my tracks have not been weakened37I will pursue my enemies and apprehend them. And I will not turn back until they have failed38I will break them, and they will not be able to stand. They will fall under my feet39And you have wrapped me with virtue for the battle. And those rising up against me, you have subdued under me40And you have given the back of my enemies to me, and you have destroyed those who hated me41They cried out, but there was none to save them, to the Lord, but he did not heed them42And I will crush them into dust before the face of the wind, so that I will obliterate them like the mud in the streets43You will rescue me from the contradictions of the people. You will set me at the head of the Gentiles44A people I did not know has served me. As soon as their ears heard, they were obedient to me45The sons of foreigners have been deceitful to me, the sons of foreigners have grown weak with time, and they have wavered from their paths46The Lord lives, and blessed is my God, and may the God of my salvation be exalted47O God, who vindicates me and who subdues the people under me, my liberator from my enraged enemies48And you will exalt me above those who rise up against me. From the iniquitous man, you will rescue me49Because of this, O Lord, I will confess to you among the nations, and I will compose a psalm to your name50magnifying the salvation of his king, and showing mercy to David, his Christ, and to his offspring, even for all time
Gospel: Mark 6.14-29
14And king Herod heard of it, (for his name had become well-known) and he said: "John the Baptist has risen again from the dead, and because of this, miracles are at work in him.15But others were saying, "Because it is Elijah." Still others were saying, "Because he is a prophet, like one of the prophets.16When Herod had heard it, he said, "John whom I beheaded, the same has risen again from the dead.17For Herod himself had sent to capture John, and had chained him in prison, because of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip; for he had married her18For John was saying to Herod, "It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.19Now Herodias was devising treachery against him; and she wanted to kill him, but she was unable20For Herod was apprehensive of John, knowing him to be a just and holy man, and so he guarded him. And he heard that he was accomplishing many things, and so he listened to him willingly21And when an opportune time had arrived, Herod held a feast on his birthday, with the leaders, and the tribunes, and the first rulers of Galilee22And when the daughter of the same Herodias had entered, and danced, and pleased Herod, along with those who were at table with him, the king said to the girl, "Request from me whatever you want, and I will give it to you.23And he swore to her, "Anything that you request, I will give to you, even up to half my kingdom.24And when she had gone out, she said to her mother, "What shall I request?" But her mother said, "The head of John the Baptist.25And immediately, when she had entered with haste to the king, she petitioned him, saying: "I want you to give me at once the head of John the Baptist on a platter.26And the king was greatly saddened. But because of his oath, and because of those who were sitting with him at table, he was not willing to disappoint her27So, having sent an executioner, he instructed that his head be brought on a platter28And he beheaded him in prison, and he brought his head on a platter. And he gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it her mother29When his disciples heard about it, they came and took his body, and they placed it in a tomb
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on faith, integrity, and the consequences of our choices. The first reading from Sirach presents David as a model of trust in God, highlighting his victories and his unwavering gratitude. David’s story reminds us that true strength comes not from human prowess but from reliance on the Almighty. The Gospel, however, shifts our focus to a darker tale of power, manipulation, and tragedy. Mark’s account of John the Baptist’s execution reveals the dangers of unchecked ambition and the cost of speaking truth to power. Herod, swayed by fear and pride, allows his oath and public image to lead him to a horrific act, while John remains steadfast in his convictions, even in the face of death.
These readings, though seemingly disparate, are connected by the theme of faith under trial. David’s trust in God and John’s martyrdom both illustrate how faith shapes our responses to challenges. David’s victories were not just military triumphs but spiritual ones, as he continually acknowledged God’s hand in his life. Similarly, John’s unwavering commitment to truth, even in the face of death, stands as a testament to the power of faith. Both stories remind us that faith is not about avoiding difficulties but about facing them with courage and integrity.
In our daily lives, these readings challenge us to examine our own commitments and values. Are we willing to stand by our principles, even when it is uncomfortable or costly? Do we, like David, cultivate a habit of gratitude and trust in God’s providence? John’s martyrdom, in particular, invites us to reflect on the importance of speaking truth in a world often driven by power and self-interest. As we navigate our own trials, may we draw strength from these examples, remembering that true greatness lies not in power or prestige but in fidelity to God and the courage to live according to His will.