Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 17, 2021
First Reading: 1 Samuel 3.3b-10, 19
3The lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was.4Then the LORD called Samuel, and he said, "Here I am!"5and ran to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call; lie down again." So he went and lay down.6And the LORD called again, "Samuel!" and Samuel arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." But he said, "I did not call, my son; lie down again."7Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him.8And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli and said, "Here I am, for you called me." Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the young man.9Therefore Eli said to Samuel, "Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, 'Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.'" So Samuel went and lay down in his place.10And the LORD came and stood, calling as at other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant hears."19And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.
Psalm 40
1I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.2He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.3He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.4Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!5You have multiplied, O LORD my God, your wondrous deeds and your thoughts toward us; none can compare with you! I will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told.6Sacrifice and offering you have not desired, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required.7Then I said, "Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me:8I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."9I have told the glad news of deliverance in the great congregation; behold, I have not restrained my lips, as you know, O LORD.10I have not hidden your deliverance within my heart; I have spoken of your faithfulness and your salvation; I have not concealed your steadfast love and your faithfulness from the great congregation.11As for you, O LORD, you will not restrain your mercy from me; your steadfast love and your faithfulness will ever preserve me!12For evils have encompassed me beyond number; my iniquities have overtaken me, and I cannot see; they are more than the hairs of my head; my heart fails me.13Be pleased, O LORD, to deliver me! O LORD, make haste to help me!14Let those be put to shame and disappointed altogether who seek to snatch away my life; let those be turned back and brought to dishonor who desire my hurt!15Let those be appalled because of their shame who say to me, "Aha, Aha!"16But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, "Great is the LORD!"17As for me, I am poor and needy, but the Lord takes thought for me. You are my help and my deliverer; do not delay, O my God!
Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 6.13c-15a, 17-20
13"Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food"--and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.14And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.15Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never!17But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.18Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.19Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,20for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Gospel: John 1.35-42
35The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples,36and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God!"37The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.38Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, "What are you seeking?" And they said to him, "Rabbi" (which means Teacher), "where are you staying?"39He said to them, "Come and you will see." So they came and saw where he was staying, and they stayed with him that day, for it was about the tenth hour.40One of the two who heard John speak and followed Jesus was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.41He first found his own brother Simon and said to him, "We have found the Messiah" (which means Christ).42He brought him to Jesus. Jesus looked at him and said, "So you are Simon the son of John? You shall be called Cephas" (which means Peter ).
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of listening, responding to God’s call, and living as temples of the Holy Spirit. In the first reading, we hear the story of Samuel, a young boy who learns to recognize the voice of the Lord. Despite his initial confusion and the patience of Eli, Samuel comes to understand that God is speaking to him. This passage reminds us that God calls each of us, often in unexpected ways, and that we must cultivate the humility and openness to hear His voice.
In the second reading, St. Paul emphasizes the dignity of our bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit. He warns against using our bodies for sin, particularly fornication, because such actions harm not only our own bodies but also the Body of Christ. This teaching calls us to live with self-control and reverence for the gift of our bodies, remembering that we belong to God and are called to glorify Him in all we do.
The Gospel continues this theme of response and discipleship. John the Baptist points his disciples to Jesus, and they follow Him. When Jesus asks them what they are seeking, they respond with curiosity and openness, leading to an invitation to “come and see.” Andrew, in turn, brings his brother Peter to Jesus, who gives him a new name, signaling a new identity and mission. This passage reminds us that following Christ is not a solitary journey but one that draws others into the life of faith. Today, let us ask ourselves: Am I truly listening to God’s call? Am I living in a way that honors the Holy Spirit dwelling within me? And am I inviting others to encounter the Messiah, as Andrew did? May we respond to God’s call with faith, live with integrity as temples of the Holy Spirit, and share the joy of knowing Christ with others.