Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 11, 2022
First Reading: 1 Kings 11.29-32; 12.19
29And at that time, when Jeroboam went out of Jerusalem, the prophet Ahijah the Shilonite found him on the road. Now Ahijah had dressed himself in a new garment, and the two of them were alone in the open country.30Then Ahijah laid hold of the new garment that was on him, and tore it into twelve pieces.31And he said to Jeroboam, "Take for yourself ten pieces, for thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Behold, I am about to tear the kingdom from the hand of Solomon and will give you ten tribes32(but he shall have one tribe, for the sake of my servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, the city that I have chosen out of all the tribes of Israel),
19So Israel has been in rebellion against the house of David to this day.
Psalm 81
1Sing aloud to God our strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob!2Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp.3Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.4For it is a statute for Israel, a rule of the God of Jacob.5He made it a decree in Joseph when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a language I had not known:6"I relieved your shoulder of the burden; your hands were freed from the basket.7In distress you called, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder; I tested you at the waters of Meribah. Selah8Hear, O my people, while I admonish you! O Israel, if you would but listen to me!9There shall be no strange god among you; you shall not bow down to a foreign god.10I am the LORD your God, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it.11"But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.12So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.13Oh, that my people would listen to me, that Israel would walk in my ways!14I would soon subdue their enemies and turn my hand against their foes.15Those who hate the LORD would cringe toward him, and their fate would last forever.16But he would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you."
Gospel: Mark 7.31-37
31Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis.32And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him.33And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue.34And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened."35And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.36And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.37And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, "He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak."
Sermon
The first reading from 1 Kings recounts the prophet Ahijah’s encounter with Jeroboam, where he tears his cloak into twelve pieces, symbolizing the division of the kingdom of Israel. This act signifies God’s judgment on King Solomon, who had turned away from the Lord. The kingdom is split: ten tribes go to Jeroboam, while the remaining two, including Jerusalem, stay with Solomon’s descendants. This moment marks a turning point in Israel’s history, highlighting the consequences of sin and the fulfillment of God’s plan. The Gospel from Mark tells the story of Jesus healing a deaf and mute man. Through a compassionate and intimate gesture, Jesus restores the man’s hearing and speech, demonstrating His divine power and mercy. The crowd’s amazement and willingness to spread the news despite Jesus’ request for silence show the irresistible impact of God’s grace.
Both readings, though separated by time and context, share a common thread: the revelation of God’s plan and the response of humanity. In the first reading, the tearing of the cloak represents the division caused by sin, while in the Gospel, the healing represents the unity and restoration brought by Christ. The prophet Ahijah’s action is a call to repentance, while Jesus’ miracle is a call to faith. Together, they remind us that God’s ways are not always easy to understand, but they are always rooted in love and justice.
In our daily lives, these readings invite us to reflect on how we respond to God’s call. Like Jeroboam, we may face moments of choice that can lead to division or unity. Like the deaf and mute man, we may feel isolated or unable to express ourselves, but Christ stands ready to heal and restore us. Let us approach God with humility and trust, seeking His healing touch in our brokenness. May we, like the crowd in the Gospel, be moved to share the good news of God’s love, even when it challenges us to step out of our comfort zones. Through faith and obedience, may we become instruments of unity and healing in a world often marked by division.