Daily Readings - Thu Jan 11 2024
1 Samuel
1And it happened that, in those days, the Philistines assembled to fight. And Israel went out to meet the Philistines in battle, and he made camp beside the Stone of Assistance. But the Philistines went to Aphek2and they positioned their troops against Israel. Then, when the conflict began, Israel turned his back to the Philistines. And they were cut down in that conflict, in various places in the fields, about four thousand men3And the people returned to the camp. And those greater by birth of Israel said: "Why has the Lord struck us today before the Philistines? Let us bring to ourselves the ark of the covenant of the Lord from Shiloh. And let it enter into our midst, so that it may save us from the hand of our enemies.4Therefore, the people sent to Shiloh, and they brought from there the ark of the covenant of the Lord of hosts, sitting upon the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were with the ark of the covenant of God5And when the ark of the covenant of the Lord had arrived in the camp, all of Israel shouted with a great clamor, and the land resounded6And the Philistines heard the voice of the clamor, and they said, "What is this voice of a great clamor in the camp of the Hebrews?" And they realized that the ark of the Lord had arrived in the camp7And the Philistines were afraid, saying, "God has entered into the camp." And they groaned, saying8"Woe to us! For there was no such great exultation yesterday, or the day before. Woe to us! Who will save us from the hand of these sublime gods? These are the gods who struck Egypt with all the plagues, in the desert.9"Be strengthened, and be manly, O Philistines! Otherwise, you may serve the Hebrews, as they also have served you. Be strengthened and wage war!10Therefore, the Philistines fought, and Israel was cut down, and each one fled to his own tent. And an exceedingly great slaughter occurred. And thirty thousand foot soldiers from Israel fell11And the ark of God was captured. Also, the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died
Mark
40And a leper came to him, begging him. And kneeling down, he said to him, "If you are willing, you are able to cleanse me.41Then Jesus, taking pity on him, reached out his hand. And touching him, he said to him: "I am willing. Be cleansed.42And after he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed43And he admonished him, and he promptly sent him away44And he said to him: "See to it that you tell no one. But go and show yourself to the high priest, and offer for your cleansing that which Moses instructed, as a testimony for them.45But having departed, he began to preach and to disseminate the word, so that he was no longer able to openly enter a city, but had to remain outside, in deserted places. And they were gathered to him from every direction
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two very different stories, yet they share a common thread: the importance of faith and trust in God. The first reading from 1 Samuel describes a moment of crisis for the Israelites. Despite their confidence in the Ark of the Covenant, a symbol of God’s presence, they suffer a devastating defeat at the hands of the Philistines. The Ark, which was meant to inspire faith, becomes a source of false security. The Israelites rely on it as a talisman rather than deepening their relationship with God. This story reminds us that true faith cannot be reduced to rituals or objects; it must be rooted in trust and surrender to God’s will.
In the Gospel, we see a very different kind of faith. A leper, marginalized and suffering, approaches Jesus with humility and trust. He doesn’t demand healing but humbly asks, “If you are willing, you are able to cleanse me.” Jesus responds with compassion, touching the leper and restoring him to wholeness. This encounter highlights the transformative power of faith that is personal and relational. The leper’s faith is not in a symbol or a system but in the person of Jesus. His trust opens him to God’s mercy and love.
These readings invite us to reflect on our own faith. Are we like the Israelites, relying on outward signs or rituals without truly surrendering to God? Or are we like the leper, humbly trusting in God’s goodness and mercy? Jesus shows us that true faith is not about control or outward appearances but about openness to God’s love and grace. Let us ask ourselves: Where am I placing my trust? Is it in the symbols of faith, or is it in the living God who desires to heal and restore us? May we learn to approach God with the humility and trust of the leper, knowing that He is always willing to meet us where we are.