Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 16, 2020
First Reading: 1 Samuel 4.1c-11
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.
Psalm 44
1O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old:2you with your own hand drove out the nations, but them you planted; you afflicted the peoples, but them you set free;3for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them.4You are my King, O God; ordain salvation for Jacob!5Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down those who rise up against us.6For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me.7But you have saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us.8In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah9But you have rejected us and disgraced us and have not gone out with our armies.10You have made us turn back from the foe, and those who hate us have gotten spoil.11You have made us like sheep for slaughter and have scattered us among the nations.12You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them.13You have made us the taunt of our neighbors, the derision and scorn of those around us.14You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples.15All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face16at the sound of the taunter and reviler, at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.17All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant.18Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from your way;19yet you have broken us in the place of jackals and covered us with the shadow of death.20If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god,21would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart.22Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.23Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!24Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?25For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly clings to the ground.26Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!
Gospel: Mark 1.40-45
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
In today's readings, we encounter two distinct narratives that invite us to reflect on the essence of faith and our response to God's presence in our lives. The first reading from 1 Samuel recounts the Israelites' defeat by the Philistines, despite bringing the Ark of the Covenant into their camp. This sacred symbol, meant to embody God's presence, could not alter their fate, highlighting that mere symbols of faith, without genuine trust and devotion, are insufficient. The second reading from Mark presents a leper who, with humble faith, asks Jesus for healing. Jesus, moved by compassion, heals him and instructs him to remain silent. Yet, the leper, overwhelmed with gratitude, spreads the news widely, illustrating the transformative power of faith and the natural impulse to share God's grace.
These readings interconnect by contrasting outward symbols with inward faith. The Israelites relied on the Ark, a physical representation of God's presence, yet lacked the deeper trust needed for true victory. Conversely, the leper's faith was not in a symbol but in Jesus' power, leading to his healing and enthusiastic witness. This teaches us that faith is not merely about rituals or objects but about a genuine relationship with God, prompting us to act and share His love.
In our daily lives, this means that while traditions and symbols can enrich our faith, they must be accompanied by heartfelt trust and obedience. When we experience God's grace, like the leper, we are compelled to share it, even when it challenges us to step out of our comfort zones. The moral lesson here is that true faith transcends symbols, requiring us to trust God and live out our faith actively, sharing His love with others as a testament to His transformative power.