Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 12, 2026
First Reading: 1 Samuel 1.1-8
1There was a certain man from Ramah of Zophim, on Mount Ephraim, and his name was Elkanah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the son of Zuph, an Ephraimite2And he had two wives: the name of one was Hannah, and the name of the second was Peninnah. And Peninnah had sons. But Hannah did not have children3And this man went up from his city, on the established days, so that he might adore and sacrifice to the Lord of hosts at Shiloh. Now the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, priests of the Lord, were in that place4Then the day arrived, and Elkanah immolated. And he gave portions to his wife Peninnah, and to all her sons and daughters5But to Hannah he gave one portion with sorrow. For he loved Hannah, but the Lord had closed her womb6And her rival afflicted her and vehemently distressed her, to a great extent, for she rebuked her that the Lord had closed her womb7And she did so every year, when the time returned for them to ascend to the temple of the Lord. And she provoked her in this way. And so, she wept and did not take food8Therefore, her husband Elkanah said to her: "Hannah, why are you weeping? And why do you not eat? And for what reason do you afflict your heart? Am I not better to you than ten sons?
Psalm 116
1Alleluia. I have loved: therefore, the Lord will heed the voice of my prayer2For he has inclined his ear to me. And in my days, I will call upon him3The sorrows of death have surrounded me, and the perils of Hell have found me. I have found tribulation and sorrow4And so, I called upon the name of the Lord. O Lord, free my soul5Merciful is the Lord, and just. And our God is compassionate6The Lord is the keeper of little ones. I was humbled, and he freed me7Turn again, my soul, to your rest. For the Lord has done good to you8For he has rescued my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from slipping9I will please the Lord in the land of the living10Alleluia. I had confidence, because of what I was saying, but then I was greatly humbled11I said in my excess, "Every man is a liar.12What shall I repay to the Lord, for all the things that he has repaid to me13I will take up the cup of salvation, and I will call upon the name of the Lord14I will repay my vows to the Lord, in the sight of all his people15Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his holy ones16O Lord, because I am your servant, your servant and the son of your handmaid, you have broken my bonds17I will sacrifice to you the sacrifice of praise, and I will invoke the name of the Lord18I will repay my vows to the Lord in the sight of all his people19in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem
Gospel: Mark 1.14-20
14Then, after John was handed over, Jesus went into Galilee, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom of God15and saying: "For the time has been fulfilled and the kingdom of God has drawn near. Repent and believe in the Gospel.16And passing by the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew, casting nets into the sea, for they were fishermen17And Jesus said to them, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men.18And at once abandoning their nets, they followed him19And continuing on a little ways from there, he saw James of Zebedee and his brother John, and they were mending their nets in a boat20And immediately he called them. And leaving behind their father Zebedee in the boat with his hired hands, they followed him
Sermon
Our first reading introduces us to Hannah, a woman enduring profound suffering. Despite her husband Elkanah's love and efforts to comfort her, Hannah is tormented by her rival, Peninnah, for her barrenness. In ancient Israel, childlessness carried immense shame and sorrow, and Hannah's plight is exacerbated by Peninnah's cruel taunts, reminding her that "the Lord had closed her womb." This passage plunges us into the depths of human anguish and the struggle of faith amidst trials, where even deep personal love cannot fully soothe a heart yearning for God's particular blessing. Meanwhile, the Gospel of Mark opens with Jesus beginning his public ministry after John's arrest, proclaiming the urgent message that "the time has been fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has drawn near. Repent and believe in the Gospel." Immediately, he calls four fishermen – Simon, Andrew, James, and John – to leave their nets and their livelihoods, inviting them to a new purpose: to become "fishers of men." Their response is swift and unconditional, leaving everything to follow him.
These seemingly disparate accounts illuminate two distinct, yet interconnected, paths to encountering God's transformative will. Hannah's story is one of enduring barrenness and sorrow, a profound personal trial that will eventually lead her to fervent prayer and a miraculous birth, fulfilling a divine purpose. The disciples' story is one of immediate, radical call and a complete redirection of their lives towards the Kingdom of God. In both cases, individuals are confronted with a divine presence that demands a response. We too face moments of "closed wombs" in our lives – areas of deep longing, unfulfilled desires, or persistent suffering that test our faith and call for patience and trust. Simultaneously, we hear the voice of Christ calling us away from our familiar routines and self-absorption, inviting us to repent, believe, and embrace a greater purpose beyond ourselves.
The common thread is God's power to bring about new life and fruitfulness, whether from a place of profound personal suffering or through a direct, challenging invitation. Hannah's ultimate response will be one of surrender and dedication, leading to the prophet Samuel. The disciples' immediate abandonment of their former lives paves the way for the spread of the Gospel. For us, this means understanding that our trials, when offered to God, can become catalysts for spiritual growth and blessing, and our everyday lives, when surrendered to Christ, can be transformed into instruments for His Kingdom. The call to repent and believe is an invitation to open our hearts fully to God's work within us, allowing Him to transform our barrenness into blessing and our routines into radical discipleship.