Daily Readings - Tue Feb 11 2020
1 Kings
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
Mark
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
In today's readings, we journey through two significant moments in scripture that invite us to reflect on the essence of worship and our relationship with God. The first reading from 1 Kings presents Solomon dedicating the Temple, a grand structure built to honor God. Solomon's prayer humbly acknowledges that even the heavens cannot contain God, yet he petitions for God's presence and hearing among His people. This scene underscores the importance of prayer and the belief that God dwells among us, even in the places we construct for worship.
The Gospel from Mark contrasts this with a confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees, who criticize His disciples for not adhering to traditional hand-washing rituals before eating. Jesus responds by denouncing their hypocrisy, emphasizing that true worship is not about external rituals but about sincerity and adherence to God's commandments. He highlights their tendency to prioritize human traditions over divine laws, such as honoring parents, illustrating the tension between outward practices and inward devotion.
These readings remind us that our faith should not be confined to external rituals but should flow from a sincere heart. In our daily lives, it's easy to focus on religious practices while neglecting the deeper aspects of our faith, such as love, compassion, and justice. Let us reflect on whether our worship is merely a matter of tradition or a genuine expression of our love for God. May we strive to align our actions with God's will, ensuring that our faith is not just a set of rituals but a living, breathing relationship with the Divine.