Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 12, 2026
First Reading: 1 Samuel 1.1-8
1There was a certain man of Ramathaim-zophim of the hill country of Ephraim whose name was Elkanah the son of Jeroham, son of Elihu, son of Tohu, son of Zuph, an Ephrathite.2He had two wives. The name of the one was Hannah, and the name of the other, Peninnah. And Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children.3Now this man used to go up year by year from his city to worship and to sacrifice to the LORD of hosts at Shiloh, where the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were priests of the LORD.4On the day when Elkanah sacrificed, he would give portions to Peninnah his wife and to all her sons and daughters.5But to Hannah he gave a double portion, because he loved her, though the LORD had closed her womb.6And her rival used to provoke her grievously to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb.7So it went on year by year. As often as she went up to the house of the LORD, she used to provoke her. Therefore Hannah wept and would not eat.8And Elkanah, her husband, said to her, "Hannah, why do you weep? And why do you not eat? And why is your heart sad? Am I not more to you than ten sons?"
Psalm 116
1I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy.2Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.3The snares of death encompassed me; the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me; I suffered distress and anguish.4Then I called on the name of the LORD: "O LORD, I pray, deliver my soul!"5Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; our God is merciful.6The LORD preserves the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me.7Return, O my soul, to your rest; for the LORD has dealt bountifully with you.8For you have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling;9I will walk before the LORD in the land of the living.10I believed, even when I spoke, "I am greatly afflicted";11I said in my alarm, "All mankind are liars."12What shall I render to the LORD for all his benefits to me?13I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the LORD,14I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people.15Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.16O LORD, I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds.17I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the LORD.18I will pay my vows to the LORD in the presence of all his people,19in the courts of the house of the LORD, in your midst, O Jerusalem. Praise the LORD!
Gospel: Mark 1.14-20
14Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God,15and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."16Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea, for they were fishermen.17And Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men."18And immediately they left their nets and followed him.19And going on a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets.20And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him.
Sermon
Our first reading introduces us to Hannah, a woman enduring profound suffering. Despite her husband Elkanah's love and efforts to comfort her, Hannah is tormented by her rival, Peninnah, for her barrenness. In ancient Israel, childlessness carried immense shame and sorrow, and Hannah's plight is exacerbated by Peninnah's cruel taunts, reminding her that "the Lord had closed her womb." This passage plunges us into the depths of human anguish and the struggle of faith amidst trials, where even deep personal love cannot fully soothe a heart yearning for God's particular blessing. Meanwhile, the Gospel of Mark opens with Jesus beginning his public ministry after John's arrest, proclaiming the urgent message that "the time has been fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has drawn near. Repent and believe in the Gospel." Immediately, he calls four fishermen – Simon, Andrew, James, and John – to leave their nets and their livelihoods, inviting them to a new purpose: to become "fishers of men." Their response is swift and unconditional, leaving everything to follow him.
These seemingly disparate accounts illuminate two distinct, yet interconnected, paths to encountering God's transformative will. Hannah's story is one of enduring barrenness and sorrow, a profound personal trial that will eventually lead her to fervent prayer and a miraculous birth, fulfilling a divine purpose. The disciples' story is one of immediate, radical call and a complete redirection of their lives towards the Kingdom of God. In both cases, individuals are confronted with a divine presence that demands a response. We too face moments of "closed wombs" in our lives – areas of deep longing, unfulfilled desires, or persistent suffering that test our faith and call for patience and trust. Simultaneously, we hear the voice of Christ calling us away from our familiar routines and self-absorption, inviting us to repent, believe, and embrace a greater purpose beyond ourselves.
The common thread is God's power to bring about new life and fruitfulness, whether from a place of profound personal suffering or through a direct, challenging invitation. Hannah's ultimate response will be one of surrender and dedication, leading to the prophet Samuel. The disciples' immediate abandonment of their former lives paves the way for the spread of the Gospel. For us, this means understanding that our trials, when offered to God, can become catalysts for spiritual growth and blessing, and our everyday lives, when surrendered to Christ, can be transformed into instruments for His Kingdom. The call to repent and believe is an invitation to open our hearts fully to God's work within us, allowing Him to transform our barrenness into blessing and our routines into radical discipleship.