Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 23, 2026
First Reading: 1 Samuel 24.2-20
2Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel and went to seek David and his men in front of the Wildgoats' Rocks.3And he came to the sheepfolds by the way, where there was a cave, and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were sitting in the innermost parts of the cave.4And the men of David said to him, "Here is the day of which the LORD said to you, 'Behold, I will give your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.'" Then David arose and stealthily cut off a corner of Saul's robe.5And afterward David's heart struck him, because he had cut off a corner of Saul's robe.6He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed, to put out my hand against him, seeing he is the LORD's anointed."7So David persuaded his men with these words and did not permit them to attack Saul. And Saul rose up and left the cave and went on his way.8Afterward David also arose and went out of the cave, and called after Saul, "My lord the king!" And when Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth and paid homage.9And David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to the words of men who say, 'Behold, David seeks your harm'?10Behold, this day your eyes have seen how the LORD gave you today into my hand in the cave. And some told me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, 'I will not put out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD's anointed.'11See, my father, see the corner of your robe in my hand. For by the fact that I cut off the corner of your robe and did not kill you, you may know and see that there is no wrong or treason in my hands. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt my life to take it.12May the LORD judge between me and you, may the LORD avenge me against you, but my hand shall not be against you.13As the proverb of the ancients says, 'Out of the wicked comes wickedness.' But my hand shall not be against you.14After whom has the king of Israel come out? After whom do you pursue? After a dead dog! After a flea!15May the LORD therefore be judge and give sentence between me and you, and see to it and plead my cause and deliver me from your hand."16As soon as David had finished speaking these words to Saul, Saul said, "Is this your voice, my son David?" And Saul lifted up his voice and wept.17He said to David, "You are more righteous than I, for you have repaid me good, whereas I have repaid you evil.18And you have declared this day how you have dealt well with me, in that you did not kill me when the LORD put me into your hands.19For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away safe? So may the LORD reward you with good for what you have done to me this day.20And now, behold, I know that you shall surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in your hand.
Psalm 57
1Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by.2I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.3He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness!4My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts--the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.5Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!6They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah7My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody!8Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!9I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.10For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.11Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!
Gospel: Mark 3.13-19
13And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him.14And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach15and have authority to cast out demons.16He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter);17James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder);18Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean,19and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
Sermon
In our first reading, we witness David’s profound restraint and respect for God’s anointed, even as King Saul relentlessly hunts him. When Saul, unbeknownst to him, enters the very cave where David and his men are hiding, David has a clear opportunity to end his persecution. His men even urge him to act, seeing it as God's deliverance. Yet, David refuses to lay a hand on Saul, contenting himself with cutting a piece from Saul's cloak as proof of his forbearance. He understands that Saul, though deeply flawed and unjust, remains God's chosen king. This act of mercy and trust in divine justice deeply moves Saul, who recognizes David's superior righteousness and acknowledges his destiny as king. Meanwhile, our Gospel from Mark presents Jesus calling his first apostles, inviting specific individuals to join him on a mountain. He chooses twelve, not only to be with him, but to be sent out with authority to preach, heal, and cast out demons, thus establishing the foundation of his Church.
These readings, separated by centuries, both speak to the nature of calling and the exercise of authority and mercy. David, though divinely anointed to succeed Saul, refuses to seize power through violence, trusting in God's timing and demonstrating a radical respect for the Lord’s anointed, even an unworthy one. He acts with integrity, offering mercy rather than vengeance. Similarly, Jesus calls his disciples, not randomly, but those whom he wills, bestowing upon them a sacred authority to carry on his mission. This mission, as exemplified by Christ himself and prefigured by David’s actions, is one of healing, preaching, and ultimately, love and forgiveness, even in the face of betrayal, as the mention of Judas Iscariot subtly reminds us. Both passages highlight a divine plan unfolding, not through human ambition or violence, but through a holy calling and a commitment to righteous action.
In our own lives, we are often faced with choices that test our integrity and our faith in God’s justice. Do we react with vengeance or anger when wronged, or do we, like David, show mercy and trust that God will vindicate us in His time? We are all called, through our baptism, to be disciples of Christ, to be "sent out" into our daily lives to bear witness to His love and truth. This means exercising the authority of Christ within us to choose forgiveness over resentment, understanding over judgment, and reconciliation over division. Just as Jesus carefully chose and empowered His apostles, so too does He empower us through grace to live lives of integrity and compassion, reflecting His mercy to a world often quick to condemn and slow to forgive. Let us strive to respond to our calling with the same humble courage and merciful spirit that David showed, and the receptive obedience of the first apostles.