Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 31, 2026
First Reading: 2 Samuel 12.1-7a, 10-17
1Then the Lord sent Nathan to David. And when he had come to him, he said to him: "Two men were in one city: one wealthy, and the other poor2The wealthy man had very many sheep and oxen3But the poor man had nothing at all, except one little sheep, which he had bought and nourished. And she had grown up before him, together with his children, eating from his bread, and drinking from his cup, and sleeping in his bosom. And she was like a daughter to him4But when a certain traveler had come to the wealthy man, neglecting to take from his own sheep and oxen, so that he might present a feast for that traveler, who had come to him, he took the sheep of the poor man, and he prepared a meal for the man who had come to him.5Then David’s indignation was enraged exceedingly against that man, and he said to Nathan: "As the Lord lives, the man who has done this is a son of death6He shall restore the sheep fourfold, because he did this word, and he did not take pity.7But Nathan said to David: "You are that man. Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘I anointed you as king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul10For this reason, the sword shall not withdraw from your house, even perpetually, because you have despised me, and you have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite, so that she may be your wife.11And so, thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will raise up over you an evil from your own house. And I will take your wives away before your eyes, and I will give them to your neighbor. And he will sleep with your wives in the sight of this sun12For you acted secretly. But I will do this word in the sight of all of Israel, and in the sight of the sun.’ 13And David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord." And Nathan said to David: "The Lord has also taken away your sin. You shall not die14Yet truly, because you have given occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, because of this word, the son who was born to you: dying he shall die.15And Nathan returned to his own house. And the Lord struck the little one, whom the wife of Uriah had borne to David, and he was despaired of16And David begged the Lord on behalf of the little one. And David fasted strictly, and entering alone, he lay upon the ground17Then the elders of his house came, urging him to rise up from the ground. And he was not willing, nor would he eat a meal with them
Psalm 51
1Unto the end. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came to him, after he went to Bathsheba. Be merciful to me, O God, according to your great mercy. And, according to the plentitude of your compassion, wipe out my iniquity2Wash me once again from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin3For I know my iniquity, and my sin is ever before me4Against you only have I sinned, and I have done evil before your eyes. And so, you are justified in your words, and you will prevail when you give judgment5For behold, I was conceived in iniquities, and in sinfulness did my mother conceive me6For behold, you have loved truth. The obscure and hidden things of your wisdom, you have manifested to me7You will sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed. You will wash me, and I will be made whiter than snow8In my hearing, you will grant gladness and rejoicing. And the bones that have been humbled will exult9Turn your face away from my sins, and erase all my iniquities10Create a clean heart in me, O God. And renew an upright spirit within my inmost being11Do not cast me away from your face; and do not take your Holy Spirit from me12Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and confirm me with an unsurpassed spirit13I will teach the unjust your ways, and the impious will be converted to you14Free me from blood, O God, the God of my salvation, and my tongue will extol your justice15O Lord, you will open my lips, and my mouth will announce your praise16For if you had desired sacrifice, I would certainly have given it, but with holocausts, you will not be delighted17A crushed spirit is a sacrifice to God. A contrite and humbled heart, O God, you will not spurn18Act kindly, Lord, in your good will toward Zion, so that the walls of Jerusalem may be built up19Then you will accept the sacrifice of justice, oblations, and holocausts. Then they will lay calves upon your altar
Gospel: Mark 4.35-41
35And on that day, when evening had arrived, he said to them, "Let us cross over.36And dismissing the crowd, they brought him, so that he was in one boat, and other boats were with him37And a great wind storm occurred, and the waves broke over the boat, so that the boat was being filled38And he was in the stern of the boat, sleeping on a pillow. And they woke him and said to him, "Teacher, does it not concern you that we are perishing?39And rising up, he rebuked the wind, and he said to the sea: "Silence. Be stilled." And the wind ceased. And a great tranquility occurred40And he said to them: "Why are you afraid? Do you still lack faith?"41And they were struck with a great fear. And they said to one another, "Who do you think this is, that both wind and sea obey him?"
Sermon
In the first reading, we witness the powerful confrontation between the prophet Nathan and King David. Nathan, through a compelling parable of a rich man who unjustly takes a poor man's cherished lamb, leads David to furious indignation and a demand for justice. It is then that Nathan delivers the devastating blow: "You are that man." David's hidden sins of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah are brought into the light of God's judgment. While God forgives David's sin upon his heartfelt repentance, the consequence of his actions remains, tragically culminating in the death of the child born of that union. This narrative is a stark reminder that even God's chosen leaders are held accountable, and that while mercy abounds, our actions carry significant weight and often lead to consequences, even after forgiveness.
The Gospel presents a different kind of storm. Jesus and his disciples are on the Sea of Galilee when a violent tempest arises, threatening to capsize their boat. The disciples, overwhelmed by fear, awaken Jesus, who is asleep, questioning his concern for their lives. With a simple word, Jesus rebukes the wind and the sea, bringing about an immediate and profound calm. He then challenges his disciples' lack of faith, leaving them in awe of his authority over creation itself. Both readings, though vastly different in their scenarios, speak to human vulnerability and divine power. David faces the storm of his own sin and divine judgment, while the disciples face a natural storm that tests their trust in Jesus' presence.
These readings invite us to reflect on the storms in our own lives. Like David, we may find ourselves in the tempest of our own making, where hidden sins or unaddressed wrongs bring inner turmoil and eventual consequence. The story calls us to honest repentance and a willingness to face the truth, trusting in God's mercy even amidst the lingering effects of our choices. Like the disciples, we also encounter external storms – trials, anxieties, and difficulties that threaten to overwhelm us. The Gospel reminds us that Christ is always in the boat with us, even if we perceive Him as sleeping or distant. Our challenge is to awaken our faith, to cry out to Him in our fear, and to trust in His sovereign power to calm the winds and waves, both within our hearts and in the world around us. His question, "Why are you afraid? Do you still lack faith?" echoes through the ages, urging us to deeper reliance on His loving presence.