Daily Readings - Mon Feb 10 2020
1 Kings
1Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers' houses of the people of Israel, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion.2And all the men of Israel assembled to King Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month.3And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark.4And they brought up the ark of the LORD, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up.5And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered.6Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the Most Holy Place, underneath the wings of the cherubim.7For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles.9There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone that Moses put there at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt.10And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the LORD,11so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD.12Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that he would dwell in thick darkness.13I have indeed built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever."
Mark
53When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore.54And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him55and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was.56And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through two profound moments in scripture that illuminate the presence of God among His people. The first reading from 1 Kings recounts the solemn transfer of the Ark of the Covenant to the Temple in Jerusalem during King Solomon's reign. The Ark, a symbol of God's presence, is placed in the Holy of Holies, and the Temple is filled with a cloud, signifying God's glory. This event marks the dedication of the Temple as a sacred space where God dwells among the Israelites, emphasizing the importance of a physical place for worship and communion with the divine.
The Gospel reading from Mark shifts our focus to the ministry of Jesus in Gennesaret. Here, Jesus' presence brings healing and hope to those who seek Him. The people's eagerness to touch even the hem of His garment underscores their faith in His divine power. This passage highlights Jesus as the new temple, the living presence of God among His people, offering spiritual and physical healing.
These readings beautifully intersect, reminding us that God's presence is not confined to a physical structure but is dynamically alive in our lives. Just as the Israelites trusted in God's presence in the Temple, we are called to trust in Jesus, who embodies the new covenant. In our daily lives, we should seek God's presence in every moment, trusting in His providence and allowing His healing grace to transform us. Let us, like the people in Gennesaret, approach Jesus with faith, knowing His presence brings light and life to our world.