Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 7, 2024
First Reading: 1 Kings 10.1-10
1Then, too, the queen of Sheba, having heard of the fame of Solomon in the name of the Lord, arrived to test him with enigmas2And entering into Jerusalem with a great retinue, and with riches, and with camels carrying aromatics, and with an exceedingly great quantity of gold and precious stones, she went to king Solomon. And she spoke to him all that she held in her heart3And Solomon taught her, in all the words that she had proposed to him. There was not any word which was able to be hidden from the king, or which he did not answer for her4Then, when the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon, and the house that he had built5and the food of his table, and the dwelling places of his servants, and the rows of his ministers, and their apparel, and the cupbearers, and the holocausts that he was offering in the house of the Lord, she had no longer any spirit in her6And she said to the king: "The word is true, which I have heard in my own land7about your words and your wisdom. But I did not believe those who explained it to me, until I went myself and saw it with my own eyes. And I have discovered that the half of it has not been told to me: your wisdom and works are greater than the report that I have heard8Blessed are your men, and blessed are your servants, who stand before you always, and who hear your wisdom9Blessed is the Lord your God, whom you have greatly pleased, and who has placed you upon the throne of Israel. For the Lord loves Israel forever, and he has appointed you as king, so that you may accomplish judgment and justice.10Then she gave the king one hundred twenty talents of gold, and an exceedingly great amount of aromatics and precious stones. No greater quantity of aromatics was ever again brought forth as these, which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon
Psalm 37
1A Psalm of David himself. Do not choose to imitate the malicious; neither should you envy those who work iniquity2For they will quickly wither away like dry grass, and in like manner to kitchen herbs, they will soon droop3Hope in the Lord and do good, and dwell in the land, and so you shall be pastured with its riches4Delight in the Lord, and he will grant to you the petitions of your heart5Reveal your way to the Lord, and hope in him, and he will accomplish it6And he will bring forth your justice like the light, and your judgment like the midday7Be subject to the Lord and pray to him. Do not choose to compete with him who prospers in his way, with the man who does injustice8Cease from wrath and leave behind rage. Do not choose to imitate the malicious9For those who are malicious will be exterminated. But those who remain with the Lord, these will inherit the land10Yet still a little while, and the sinner will not be. And you will search his place and find nothing11But the meek shall inherit the earth, and they will delight in the multitude of peace12The sinner will observe the just, and he will gnash his teeth over him13But the Lord will laugh at him: for he knows in advance that his day will come14The sinners have drawn the sword, they have bent their bow, so as to cast down the poor and the needy, so as to massacre the upright of heart15Let their sword enter into their own hearts, and let their bow be broken16A little is better to the just than the many riches of sinners17For the arms of sinners will be crushed, but the Lord confirms the just18The Lord knows the days of the immaculate, and their inheritance will be in eternity19They will not be confounded in an evil time; and in days of famine, they will be satisfied20for sinners will perish. Truly, the adversaries of the Lord, soon after they have been honored and exalted, will fade away, in the same way that smoke fades away21The sinner will lend and not release, but the just one shows compassion and donates22For those who bless him will inherit the earth, but those who curse him will perish23The steps of a man will be directed by the Lord, and he will choose his way24When he falls, he will not be harmed, because the Lord places his hand under him25I have been young, and now I am old; and I have not seen the just forsaken, nor his offspring seeking bread26He shows compassion and lends, all day long, and his offspring will be in blessing27Turn away from evil and do good, and dwell forever and ever28For the Lord loves judgment, and he will not abandon his saints. They will be kept safe in eternity. The unjust will be punished, and the offspring of the impious will perish29But the just will inherit the earth, and they will dwell upon it forever and ever30The mouth of the just one will express wisdom, and his tongue will speak judgment31The law of his God is in his heart, and his steps shall not be supplanted32The sinner considers the just one and seeks to put him to death33But the Lord will not abandon him into his hands, nor condemn him, when he will be judged34Wait for the Lord, and keep to his way. And he will exalt you, so as to inherit the land that you may seize. When the sinners will have passed away, then you shall see35I have seen the impious over-exalted, and lifted up like the cedars of Lebanon36And I passed by, and behold, he was not. And I sought him, and his place was not found37Keep to innocence, and gaze upon fairness: because there are allotments for the peaceful man38But the unjust will be destroyed together: the allotments of the impious will pass away39But the salvation of the just is from the Lord, and he is their protector in time of tribulation40And the Lord will help them and free them. And he will rescue them from sinners and save them, because they have hoped in him
Gospel: Mark 7.14-23
14And again, calling the crowd to him, he said to them: "Listen to me, all of you, and understand15There is nothing from outside a man which, by entering into him, is able to defile him. But the things which proceed from a man, these are what pollute a man16Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear.17And when he had entered into the house, away from the crowd, his disciples questioned him about the parable18And he said to them: "So, are you also without prudence? Do you not understand that everything entering to a man from outside is not able to pollute him19For it does not enter into his heart, but into the gut, and it exits into the sewer, purging all foods.20"But," he said "the things which go out from a man, these pollute a man21For from within, from the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders22thefts, avarice, wickedness, deceitfulness, homosexuality, an evil eye, blasphemy, self-exaltation, foolishness23All these evils proceed from within and pollute a man.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of true wisdom and the purity of heart. In the First Reading, the Queen of Sheba is drawn to King Solomon’s wisdom, which she recognizes as a gift from God. She is not only impressed by Solomon’s knowledge but also by the prosperity and order of Israel, which she attributes to God’s favor. This passage reminds us that true wisdom is not just intellectual knowledge but also the ability to live justly and to recognize God’s presence in the world. The Queen’s visit is a testament to the universal appeal of God’s wisdom, which transcends borders and cultures.
In the Gospel, Jesus shifts our focus from external rituals to the inner state of our hearts. He teaches that what defiles a person is not what enters from outside but what comes out from within. Jesus lists evils such as greed, deceit, and adultery, emphasizing that these vices originate in the heart. This teaching challenges us to examine our own thoughts and actions, recognizing that true purity comes from within. Like the Queen of Sheba, we are called to seek wisdom and to recognize God’s presence in our lives, but we must also attend to the condition of our own hearts.
These readings remind us that our relationship with God is not just about external practices but about the integrity of our lives. The Queen of Sheba’s admiration for Solomon’s wisdom encourages us to seek God’s wisdom in our own lives, while Jesus’ teaching calls us to cultivate purity of heart. As we go about our daily lives, let us strive to live in a way that reflects the wisdom and love of God, both in our actions and in the depths of our hearts. May we, like the Queen of Sheba, be moved to praise God for the gifts we have received, and may we, like Jesus, be mindful of the thoughts and intentions that shape who we are.