Daily Readings - Tue Feb 11 2020
1 Kings
22Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the presence of all the assembly of Israel and spread out his hands toward heaven,23and said, "O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you, in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and showing steadfast love to your servants who walk before you with all their heart,27"But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built!28Yet have regard to the prayer of your servant and to his plea, O LORD my God, listening to the cry and to the prayer that your servant prays before you this day,29that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you have said, 'My name shall be there,' that you may listen to the prayer that your servant offers toward this place.30And listen to the plea of your servant and of your people Israel, when they pray toward this place. And listen in heaven your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.
Mark
1Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem,2they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed.3(For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands, holding to the tradition of the elders,4and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches. )5And the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, "Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?"6And he said to them, "Well did Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written, "'This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;7in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.'8You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men."9And he said to them, "You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition!10For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother'; and, 'Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.'11But you say, 'If a man tells his father or his mother, Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban' (that is, given to God)--12then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother,13thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do."
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through two significant moments in scripture that invite us to reflect on the essence of worship and our relationship with God. The first reading from 1 Kings presents Solomon dedicating the Temple, a grand structure built to honor God. Solomon's prayer humbly acknowledges that even the heavens cannot contain God, yet he petitions for God's presence and hearing among His people. This scene underscores the importance of prayer and the belief that God dwells among us, even in the places we construct for worship.
The Gospel from Mark contrasts this with a confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees, who criticize His disciples for not adhering to traditional hand-washing rituals before eating. Jesus responds by denouncing their hypocrisy, emphasizing that true worship is not about external rituals but about sincerity and adherence to God's commandments. He highlights their tendency to prioritize human traditions over divine laws, such as honoring parents, illustrating the tension between outward practices and inward devotion.
These readings remind us that our faith should not be confined to external rituals but should flow from a sincere heart. In our daily lives, it's easy to focus on religious practices while neglecting the deeper aspects of our faith, such as love, compassion, and justice. Let us reflect on whether our worship is merely a matter of tradition or a genuine expression of our love for God. May we strive to align our actions with God's will, ensuring that our faith is not just a set of rituals but a living, breathing relationship with the Divine.