Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 30, 2023
First Reading: Hebrews 11.32-40
32And what should I say next? For time is not sufficient for me to give an account of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and the Prophets33those who, by faith, conquered kingdoms, accomplished justice, obtained promises, closed the mouths of lions34extinguished the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, recovered from infirmities, showed strength in battle, turned back the armies of foreigners35Women received their dead by means of resurrection. But others suffered severe punishment, not yet receiving redemption, so that they would find a better resurrection36Truly, others were tested by mocking and lashes, and moreover by chains and imprisonment37They were stoned; they were cut; they were tempted. With the slaughter of the sword, they were killed. They wandered about in sheepskin and in goatskin, in dire need, in anguish afflicted38Of them, the world was not worthy, wandering in solitude on mountains, in the caves and caverns of the earth39And all these, having been proven by the testimony of faith, did not receive the Promise40God’s Providence holds something better for us, so that not without us would they be perfected
Psalm 31
1Unto the end. A Psalm of David according to an ecstasy. In you, Lord, I have hoped; let me never be confounded. In your justice, deliver me2Incline your ear to me. Hasten to rescue me. Be for me a protector God and a house of refuge, so as to accomplish my salvation3For you are my strength and my refuge; and for the sake of your name, you will lead me and nourish me4You will lead me out of this snare, which they have hidden for me. For you are my protector5Into your hands, I commend my spirit. You have redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth6You have hated those who practice emptiness to no purpose. But I have hoped in the Lord7I will exult and rejoice in your mercy. For you have looked upon my humility; you have saved my soul from needfulness8And you have not enclosed me in the hands of the enemy. You have set my feet in a spacious place9Have mercy on me, Lord, for I am troubled. My eye has been disturbed by wrath, along with my soul and my gut10For my life has fallen into sorrow, and my years into sighing. My virtue has been weakened in poverty, and my bones have been disturbed11I have become a disgrace among all my enemies, and even more so to my neighbors, and a dread to my acquaintances. Those who catch sight of me, flee away from me12I have become forgotten, like one dead to the heart. I have become like a damaged utensil13For I have heard the harsh criticism of many who linger in the area. While assembled together against me in that place, they deliberated on how to take away my life14But I have hoped in you, O Lord. I said, "You are my God.15My fate is in your hands. Rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from those who are persecuting me16Shine your face upon your servant. Save me in your mercy17Do not let me be confounded, Lord, for I have called upon you. Let the impious be ashamed and be drawn down into Hell18May deceitful lips be silenced: those that speak iniquity against the just, in arrogance and in abusiveness19How great is the multitude of your sweetness, O Lord, which you keep hidden for those who fear you, which you have perfected for those who hope in you, in the sight of the sons of men20You hide them in the concealment of your face, from the disturbance of men. You protect them in your tabernacle, from the contradiction of tongues21Blessed is the Lord. For he has shown his wonderful mercy to me, in a fortified city22But I said in the excess of my mind: "I have been cast away from the glance of your eyes." And so, you heeded the voice of my prayer, while I was still crying out to you23Love the Lord, all you his saints. For the Lord will require truth, and he will abundantly repay those who act with arrogance24Act manfully, and let your heart be strengthened, all you who hope in the Lord
Gospel: Mark 5.1-20
1And they went across the strait of the sea into the region of the Gerasenes2And as he was departing from the boat, he was immediately met, from among the tombs, by a man with an unclean spirit3who had his dwelling place with the tombs; neither had anyone been able to bind him, even with chains4For having been bound often with shackles and chains, he had broken the chains and smashed the shackles; and no one had been able to tame him5And he was always, day and night, among the tombs, or in the mountains, crying out and cutting himself with stones6And seeing Jesus from afar, he ran and adored him7And crying out with a loud voice, he said: "What am I to you, Jesus, the Son of the Most High God? I beseech you by God, that you not torment me.8For he said to him, "Depart from the man, you unclean spirit.9And he questioned him: "What is your name?" And he said to him, "My name is Legion, for we are many.10And he entreated him greatly, so that he would not expel him from the region11And in that place, near the mountain, there was a great herd of swine, feeding12And the spirits entreated him, saying: "Send us into the swine, so that we may enter into them.13And Jesus promptly gave them permission. And the unclean spirits, departing, entered into the swine. And the herd of about two thousand rushed down with great force into the sea, and they were drowned in the sea14Then those who pastured them fled, and they reported it in the city and in the countryside. And they all went out to see what was happening15And they came to Jesus. And they saw the man who had been troubled by the demon, sitting, clothed and with a sane mind, and they were afraid16And those who had seen it explained to them how he had dealt with the man who had the demon, and about the swine17And they began to petition him, so that he would withdraw from their borders18And as he was climbing into the boat, the man who had been troubled by the demons began to beg him, so that he might be with him19And he did not permit him, but he said to him, "Go to your own people, in your own house, and announce to them how great are the things that Lord has done for you, and how he has taken pity on you.20And he went away and began to preach in the Ten Cities, how great were the things that Jesus had done for him. And everyone wondered
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on the nature of faith and trust in God. The first reading from Hebrews 11:32-40 presents a roll call of Old Testament figures who exemplified extraordinary faith. These individuals, despite facing immense hardships and not always seeing the fulfillment of God’s promises in their lifetimes, remained steadfast in their trust. Their stories remind us that faith is not about immediate results but about unwavering trust in God’s plan, even when the journey is fraught with challenges.
The Gospel from Mark 5:1-20 shifts our focus to a dramatic encounter between Jesus and a man tormented by many demons. This man, living on the fringes of society, found healing through Jesus’ compassion. The transformation was immediate and profound, leading the man to share his experience widely. This narrative underscores the transformative power of faith and the call to witness to God’s grace in our lives.
Both readings highlight the transformative power of faith and trust in God. The heroes of faith in Hebrews teach us to trust God’s plan, even in uncertainty. The man in Mark’s Gospel shows us that faith leads to healing and compels us to share God’s grace with others. In our daily lives, we are called to trust God in our struggles and to share our experiences of His grace, just as the healed man did. Let us embrace this call, trusting in God’s plan and spreading His love in our communities.