Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 15, 2026
First Reading: 1 Samuel 4.1c-11
1And the word of Samuel came to all Israel.Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines. They encamped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines encamped at Aphek.2The Philistines drew up in line against Israel, and when the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men on the field of battle.3And when the troops came to the camp, the elders of Israel said, "Why has the LORD defeated us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the covenant of the LORD here from Shiloh, that it may come among us and save us from the power of our enemies."4So the people sent to Shiloh and brought from there the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, who is enthroned on the cherubim. And the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.5As soon as the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel gave a mighty shout, so that the earth resounded.6And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shouting, they said, "What does this great shouting in the camp of the Hebrews mean?" And when they learned that the ark of the LORD had come to the camp,7the Philistines were afraid, for they said, "A god has come into the camp." And they said, "Woe to us! For nothing like this has happened before.8Woe to us! Who can deliver us from the power of these mighty gods? These are the gods who struck the Egyptians with every sort of plague in the wilderness.9Take courage, and be men, O Philistines, lest you become slaves to the Hebrews as they have been to you; be men and fight."10So the Philistines fought, and Israel was defeated, and they fled, every man to his home. And there was a very great slaughter, for there fell of Israel thirty thousand foot soldiers.11And the ark of God was captured, and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, died.
Psalm 44
1O God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us, what deeds you performed in their days, in the days of old:2you with your own hand drove out the nations, but them you planted; you afflicted the peoples, but them you set free;3for not by their own sword did they win the land, nor did their own arm save them, but your right hand and your arm, and the light of your face, for you delighted in them.4You are my King, O God; ordain salvation for Jacob!5Through you we push down our foes; through your name we tread down those who rise up against us.6For not in my bow do I trust, nor can my sword save me.7But you have saved us from our foes and have put to shame those who hate us.8In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah9But you have rejected us and disgraced us and have not gone out with our armies.10You have made us turn back from the foe, and those who hate us have gotten spoil.11You have made us like sheep for slaughter and have scattered us among the nations.12You have sold your people for a trifle, demanding no high price for them.13You have made us the taunt of our neighbors, the derision and scorn of those around us.14You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples.15All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face16at the sound of the taunter and reviler, at the sight of the enemy and the avenger.17All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant.18Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from your way;19yet you have broken us in the place of jackals and covered us with the shadow of death.20If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god,21would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart.22Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.23Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever!24Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression?25For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly clings to the ground.26Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!
Gospel: Mark 1.40-45
40And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, "If you will, you can make me clean."41Moved with pity, he stretched out his hand and touched him and said to him, "I will; be clean."42And immediately the leprosy left him, and he was made clean.43And Jesus sternly charged him and sent him away at once,44and said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses commanded, for a proof to them."45But he went out and began to talk freely about it, and to spread the news, so that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town, but was out in desolate places, and people were coming to him from every quarter.
Sermon
The first reading from 1 Samuel recounts a devastating defeat for Israel at the hands of the Philistines. Despite bringing the Ark of the Covenant into battle, believing it would secure victory, Israel suffered a massive loss, the Ark was captured, and Eli's unworthy sons perished. This episode reveals a profound spiritual crisis: Israel had begun to treat the Ark not as a sacred sign of God’s covenant presence, but as a magical talisman, presuming upon divine power without genuine repentance, faith, or obedience to God’s commands. In contrast, the Gospel of Mark presents Jesus' encounter with a leper, a man utterly ostracized by society and religious law. With profound compassion, Jesus touches and cleanses him, restoring him physically and socially. Jesus then instructs the man to show himself to the priests and offer the prescribed sacrifices, and, importantly, to tell no one, a directive the healed man immediately disobeys, leading to crowds gathering around Jesus in deserted places.
These readings, though distinct in their historical contexts, invite us to reflect on our relationship with divine power and revelation. Ancient Israel, in its spiritual decline, sought to manipulate God's power through the Ark, treating a sacred symbol as a means to an end, rather than allowing it to draw them into deeper communion and obedience. Their misplaced confidence in an object, divorced from a living relationship with God, led to disaster. Similarly, while the leper's faith in Jesus' power was commendable, his subsequent exuberance led him to disregard Jesus' specific instruction for silence. This act, though perhaps born of gratitude, inadvertently complicated Jesus' public ministry and highlights how even good intentions can sometimes overshadow the Lord's particular guidance.
For us today, these narratives serve as powerful reminders. We are called to cultivate a faith that is not superficial or superstitious, but deeply rooted in a personal relationship with God, marked by humility and obedience. We must be careful not to reduce our sacred objects, rituals, or prayers to mere charms or formulas that promise desired outcomes without demanding inner conversion. Instead, we are invited to approach Christ with the leper's humble trust in His power and willingness to heal, but also to temper our enthusiasm with a discerning ear for His specific guidance. True spiritual strength lies not in trying to control or command God's favor, but in surrendering to His will, trusting in His wisdom, and responding to His grace with both fervent faith and humble obedience, allowing Him to work in us and through us according to His perfect plan.