Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 15, 2026
First Reading: 1 Samuel 4.1c-11
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
Psalm 44
1Unto the end. To the sons of Korah, toward understanding2We have heard, O God, with our own ears. Our fathers have announced to us the work that you wrought in their days and in the days of antiquity3Your hand dispersed the Gentiles, and you transplanted them. You afflicted a people, and you expelled them4For they did not take possession of the land by their sword, and their own arm did not save them. But your right hand and your arm, and the light of your countenance did so, because you were pleased with them5You yourself are my king and my God, who commands the salvation of Jacob6With you, we will brandish a horn before our enemies; and in your name, we will spurn those rising up against us7For I will not hope in my bow, and my sword will not save me8For you have saved us from those who afflict us, and you have bewildered those who hate us9In God, we will give praise all day long; and in your name, we will confess forever10But now, you have rejected and bewildered us, and you will not go forth with our armies, O God11You have turned our back to our enemies, and those who hated us have plundered for themselves12You have given us over like sheep for food. You have scattered us among the Gentiles13You have sold your people without a price, and no great number was exchanged for them14You have set us as a disgrace to our neighbors, a scoff and a derision to those who are around us15You have set us as a parable among the Gentiles, a shaking of the head among the peoples16All day long my shame is before me, and the confusion of my face has covered me17before the voice of the reproacher and the commentator, before the face of the adversary and the pursuer18All these things have come upon us, yet we have not forgotten you, and we have not acted unjustly in your covenant19And our heart has not turned back. And you have not diverted our steps from your way20For you humbled us in a place of affliction, and the shadow of death has covered us21If we have forgotten the name of our God, and if we have extended our hands to a foreign god22will not God find this out? For he knows the secrets of the heart. For, because of you, we are being killed all day long. We are considered as sheep for the slaughter23Rise up. Why do you fall asleep, O Lord? Rise up, and do not reject us in the end24Why do you turn your face away, and why do you forget our needfulness and our tribulation25For our soul has been humbled into the dust. Our belly has been bound to the earth26Rise up, O Lord. Help us and redeem us, because of your name
Gospel: Mark 1.40-45
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
The first reading from 1 Samuel recounts a devastating defeat for Israel at the hands of the Philistines. Despite bringing the Ark of the Covenant into battle, believing it would secure victory, Israel suffered a massive loss, the Ark was captured, and Eli's unworthy sons perished. This episode reveals a profound spiritual crisis: Israel had begun to treat the Ark not as a sacred sign of God’s covenant presence, but as a magical talisman, presuming upon divine power without genuine repentance, faith, or obedience to God’s commands. In contrast, the Gospel of Mark presents Jesus' encounter with a leper, a man utterly ostracized by society and religious law. With profound compassion, Jesus touches and cleanses him, restoring him physically and socially. Jesus then instructs the man to show himself to the priests and offer the prescribed sacrifices, and, importantly, to tell no one, a directive the healed man immediately disobeys, leading to crowds gathering around Jesus in deserted places.
These readings, though distinct in their historical contexts, invite us to reflect on our relationship with divine power and revelation. Ancient Israel, in its spiritual decline, sought to manipulate God's power through the Ark, treating a sacred symbol as a means to an end, rather than allowing it to draw them into deeper communion and obedience. Their misplaced confidence in an object, divorced from a living relationship with God, led to disaster. Similarly, while the leper's faith in Jesus' power was commendable, his subsequent exuberance led him to disregard Jesus' specific instruction for silence. This act, though perhaps born of gratitude, inadvertently complicated Jesus' public ministry and highlights how even good intentions can sometimes overshadow the Lord's particular guidance.
For us today, these narratives serve as powerful reminders. We are called to cultivate a faith that is not superficial or superstitious, but deeply rooted in a personal relationship with God, marked by humility and obedience. We must be careful not to reduce our sacred objects, rituals, or prayers to mere charms or formulas that promise desired outcomes without demanding inner conversion. Instead, we are invited to approach Christ with the leper's humble trust in His power and willingness to heal, but also to temper our enthusiasm with a discerning ear for His specific guidance. True spiritual strength lies not in trying to control or command God's favor, but in surrendering to His will, trusting in His wisdom, and responding to His grace with both fervent faith and humble obedience, allowing Him to work in us and through us according to His perfect plan.