Daily Readings - Sat Feb 10 2024
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, and God’s providence. The first reading from 1 Kings describes Jeroboam’s decision to create golden calves for the Israelites to worship, a misguided attempt to maintain control over his kingdom. By setting up these idols in Bethel and Dan, Jeroboam led the people away from the true worship of God in Jerusalem. His actions were rooted in fear and a desire for power, but they ultimately led to sin and division. This story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of substituting false idols for the one true God.
The Gospel, on the other hand, presents a very different picture. In Mark 8, Jesus is moved with compassion for a crowd of four thousand who have been with him for three days without food. Despite the disciples’ doubts about how to feed such a large group, Jesus takes what little they have—seven loaves and a few fish—and multiplies it abundantly, leaving seven baskets of leftovers. This miracle is not just about meeting physical needs; it is a sign of God’s faithfulness and generosity. While Jeroboam sought to manipulate and control, Jesus shows us a God who provides and nourishes, even in times of scarcity.
These readings remind us that true worship is not about creating our own idols or relying on our own strength, but about trusting in God’s providence and surrendering to His will. In our daily lives, we often face moments of scarcity—whether physical, emotional, or spiritual. Like the disciples, we may doubt whether God can work through what little we have. But the Gospel assures us that when we place our trust in Him, even the smallest offerings can become more than enough. Let us turn away from the false idols of our own making and instead seek to worship God in spirit and truth, trusting in His boundless love and provision.