Daily Readings - Sat Feb 12 2022
1 Kings
26And Jeroboam said in his heart: "Now the kingdom will return to the house of David27if this people ascend to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem. And the heart of this people will be converted to their lord Rehoboam, the king of Judah, and they will put me to death, and return to him.28And devising a plan, he made two golden calves. And he said to them: "No longer choose to ascend to Jerusalem. Behold, these are your gods, O Israel, who led you away from the land of Egypt!29And he stationed one in Bethel, and the other in Dan30And this word became an occasion of sin. For the people went to adore the calf, even to Dan31And he made shrines on the high places, and he made priests out of the lowest people, who were not of the sons of Levi32And he appointed a solemn day in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, in imitation of the solemnity that was celebrated in Judah. And ascending to the altar, he acted similarly in Bethel, so that he immolated to the calves, which he had made. And in Bethel, he appointed priests of the high places, which he had made
33After these words, Jeroboam did not turn back from his very evil way. Instead, to the contrary, he made priests for the high places out of the least of the people. Whosoever was willing, he filled his hand, and he became a priest of the high places34And for this reason, the house of Jeroboam sinned, and was uprooted, and was wiped from the face of the earth
Mark
1In those days, again, when there was a great crowd, and they did not have anything to eat, calling together his disciples, he said to them2"I have compassion for the multitude, because, behold, they have persevered with me now for three days, and they do not have anything to eat3And if I were to send them away fasting to their home, they might faint on the way." For some of them came from far away4And his disciples answered him, "From where would anyone be able to obtain enough bread for them in the wilderness?5And he questioned them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said, "Seven.6And he instructed the crowd to sit down to eat on the ground. And taking the seven loaves, giving thanks, he broke and gave it to his disciples in order to place before them. And they placed these before the crowd7And they had a few small fish. And he blessed them, and he ordered them to be placed before them8And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up what had been leftover from the fragments: seven baskets9And those who ate were about four thousand. And he dismissed them10And promptly climbing into a boat with his disciples, he went into the parts of Dalmanutha
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two contrasting narratives that invite us to reflect on the nature of worship, trust in God, and the consequences of our choices. The first reading from 1 Kings describes Jeroboam’s decision to create golden calves for the Israelites to worship, diverting them from the true worship of God in Jerusalem. This act of idolatry is presented as a grave sin, one that leads to division and ultimately the downfall of Jeroboam’s house. The passage serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of substituting man-made idols for the one true God. Jeroboam’s actions are driven by fear and a desire to maintain power, but they result in spiritual corruption and disunity among God’s people.
The Gospel, on the other hand, presents a very different image: Jesus, moved by compassion, feeds a crowd of four thousand people with seven loaves of bread and a few fish. This miracle underscores Jesus’ role as the true provider and the one who satisfies the deepest hungers of humanity. While Jeroboam’s actions lead to spiritual famine, Jesus’ actions bring abundant life and satisfaction. The feeding of the crowd also points to the Eucharist, where Jesus continues to nourish us spiritually, calling us to trust in his providence and to seek him above all else.
These readings remind us that our choices have consequences. Jeroboam’s idolatry represents the tendency to create our own solutions to life’s challenges, often turning to false securities or comforts. Jesus, however, calls us to trust in his Father’s care and to seek him as the source of all life. In our daily lives, we are invited to examine where we may be tempted to “worship” false idols—whether material possessions, power, or comfort—and to turn instead to the one who truly satisfies. Let us ask for the grace to trust in God’s providence and to seek him with all our hearts, that we may be filled with the bread of life and avoid the pitfalls of spiritual corruption.