Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 7, 2022
First Reading: 1 Kings 8.1-7, 9-13
1Then all those greater by birth of Israel, with the leaders of the tribes and the rulers of the families of the sons of Israel, gathered together before king Solomon at Jerusalem, so that they might carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord, from the city of David, that is, from Zion2And all of Israel assembled before king Solomon, on the solemn day in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month3And all the elders of Israel arrived, and the priests took up the ark4And they carried the ark of the Lord, and the tabernacle of the covenant, and all the vessels of the Sanctuary, which were in the tabernacle; and the priests and the Levites carried these5Then king Solomon, and the entire multitude of Israel, who had assembled before him, advanced with him before the ark. And they immolated sheep and oxen, which could not be numbered or estimated6And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, into the oracle of the temple, in the Holy of Holies, under the wings of the cherubim7For indeed, the cherubim extended their wings over the place of the ark, and they protected the ark and its bars from above9Now inside the ark, there was nothing other than the two tablets of stone, which Moses had placed in it at Horeb, when the Lord formed a covenant with the sons of Israel, when they departed from the land of Egypt10Then it happened that, when the priests had exited from the Sanctuary, a cloud filled the house of the Lord11And the priests were unable to stand and minister, because of the cloud. For the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord12Then Solomon said: "The Lord has said that he would dwell in a cloud13Building, I have built a house as your dwelling place, your most firm throne forever.
Psalm 132
1A Canticle in steps. O Lord, remember David and all his meekness2how he swore to the Lord, how he made a vow to the God of Jacob3I shall not enter into the tabernacle of my house, nor climb into the bed where I lie down4I shall not give sleep to my eyes, nor slumber to my eyelid5and rest to my temples, until I find a place for the Lord, a tabernacle for the God of Jacob6Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah. We discovered it in the fields of the forest7We will enter into his tabernacle. We will adore in the place where his feet stood8Rise up, O Lord, into your resting place. You and the ark of your sanctification9Let your priests be clothed with justice, and let your saints exult10For the sake of your servant David, do not turn away the face of your Christ11The Lord has sworn the truth to David, and he will not disappoint: I will set upon your throne from the fruit of your lineage12If your sons will keep my covenant and these, my testimonies, which I will teach to them, then their sons will sit upon your throne even forever13For the Lord has chosen Zion. He has chosen it as his dwelling place14This is my resting place, forever and ever. Here I will dwell, for I have chosen it15When blessing, I will bless her widow. I will satisfy her poor with bread16I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints will rejoice with great joy17There, I will produce a horn to David. There, I have prepared a lamp for my Christ18I will clothe his enemies with confusion. But my sanctification will flourish over him
Gospel: Mark 6.53-56
53And when they had crossed over, they arrived in the land of Genesaret, and they reached the shore54And when they had disembarked from the boat, the people immediately recognized him55And running throughout that entire region, they began to carry on beds those who had maladies, to where they heard that he would be56And in whichever place he entered, in towns or villages or cities, they placed the infirm in the main streets, and they pleaded with him that they might touch even the hem of his garment. And as many as touched him were made healthy
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the presence of God in our lives and the ways in which He reveals Himself to us. In the first reading from 1 Kings, we witness the dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem, a moment of profound significance for the people of Israel. The ark of the covenant, which held the tablets of the Ten Commandments, was finally placed in the Holy of Holies, symbolizing God’s dwelling among His people. The cloud that filled the Temple signified the divine presence, and Solomon’s words acknowledged that God had chosen to dwell in a cloud, a reminder of His mysterious and transcendent nature. This passage emphasizes the importance of sacred spaces and rituals in connecting us to the divine.
In the Gospel, Mark describes Jesus’ ministry in the region of Genesaret. Wherever Jesus went, people brought their sick to Him, and simply by touching His garments, they were healed. This passage highlights Jesus as the living Temple, the new and definitive dwelling place of God among humanity. Unlike the Temple in Jerusalem, which was a physical structure, Jesus’ presence brought healing and wholeness to all who encountered Him. This shift from the Temple to Jesus underscores the Christian understanding that God’s presence is not confined to a building but is fully revealed in the person of Christ.
These readings remind us that God’s presence is both mysterious and accessible. In the Temple, God’s glory was veiled in a cloud, yet in Jesus, that same glory is revealed in flesh and blood. As we go about our daily lives, we are called to recognize God’s presence in the world around us—in the beauty of creation, in the faces of those we meet, and in the quiet moments of prayer. Like the people in Genesaret, we can bring our needs and struggles to Jesus, trusting in His power to heal and transform us. Let us also remember that we are called to be instruments of God’s presence in the world, offering love, compassion, and hope to those around us. May we, like Solomon, acknowledge the mystery of God’s dwelling among us, and may we, like the people in the Gospel, reach out in faith to touch the hem of His garment.