Daily Readings - Thu Jan 11 2018
1 Samuel
1And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek.2The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle.3And when the troops came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies."4So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.5As soon as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded.6And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, "What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?" And when they learned that the ark of the LORD had come to the camp,7the Philistines were afraid, for they said, "A god has come into the camp." And they said, "Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.8Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness.9Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been to you; be men and fight."10So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers.11And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
Mark
40And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean."41Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, "I will; be clean."42And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.43And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once,44and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them."45But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of faith, trust, and our relationship with God. In the first reading from 1 Samuel, we see the Israelites facing defeat at the hands of the Philistines. Despite their confidence in the Ark of the Covenant, which they believed would guarantee their victory, they suffer a devastating loss. The Ark, a symbol of God’s presence, is even captured, and the sons of Eli perish. This story reminds us that mere symbols of faith, without a deeper connection to God, are insufficient. The Israelites relied on the Ark as a magical solution rather than seeking a genuine relationship with the Lord.
In the Gospel, we encounter a very different kind of faith. A leper, marginalized and suffering, approaches Jesus with humility and trust. He doesn’t demand healing but simply asks, “If you are willing, you are able to cleanse me.” Jesus, moved by compassion, reaches out and heals him. This moment highlights the power of sincere faith and the transformative love of God. Unlike the Israelites, who trusted in the Ark but neglected their relationship with God, the leper trusts in Jesus’ willingness to act, and his faith is rewarded.
These readings challenge us to examine our own faith. Do we, like the Israelites, rely on external symbols or rituals without nurturing a deeper connection to God? Or do we, like the leper, approach God with humility and trust, recognizing His power and love? In our daily lives, we are called to move beyond superficial expressions of faith and instead cultivate a personal, heartfelt relationship with the Lord. Let us trust in His goodness, even in the midst of uncertainty, and allow His love to transform us.