Daily Catholic Mass Readings for February 7, 2018
First Reading: 1 Kings 10.1-10
1And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.2And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.3And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.4And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built,5And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.6And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.7Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.8Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.9Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.10And she gave the king an hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and precious stones: there came no more such abundance of spices as these which the queen of Sheba gave to king Solomon.
Psalm 37
1Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.2For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.3Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.4Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.5Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.6And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday.7Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.8Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.9For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.10For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.11But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.12The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.13The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming.14The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation.15Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.16A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.17For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous.18The LORD knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be for ever.19They shall not be ashamed in the evil time: and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.20But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the LORD shall be as the fat of lambs: they shall consume; into smoke shall they consume away.21The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again: but the righteous sheweth mercy, and giveth.22For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.23The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.24Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.25I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread.26He is ever merciful, and lendeth; and his seed is blessed.27Depart from evil, and do good; and dwell for evermore.28For the LORD loveth judgment, and forsaketh not his saints; they are preserved for ever: but the seed of the wicked shall be cut off.29The righteous shall inherit the land, and dwell therein for ever.30The mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom, and his tongue talketh of judgment.31The law of his God is in his heart; none of his steps shall slide.32The wicked watcheth the righteous, and seeketh to slay him.33The LORD will not leave him in his hand, nor condemn him when he is judged.34Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land: when the wicked are cut off, thou shalt see it.35I have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading himself like a green bay tree.36Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not: yea, I sought him, but he could not be found.37Mark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peace.38But the transgressors shall be destroyed together: the end of the wicked shall be cut off.39But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD: he is their strength in the time of trouble.40And the LORD shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in him.
Gospel: Mark 7.14-23
14And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:15There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.16If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.17And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.18And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him;19Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?20And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.21For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,22Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:23All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on wisdom, purity, and the true source of defilement. In the First Reading, the Queen of Sheba is drawn to King Solomon’s wisdom and the prosperity of Israel, recognizing the blessings of God. She is overwhelmed by what she sees and hears, acknowledging that even the stories she had heard about Solomon’s wisdom did not do justice to the reality. Her visit highlights the universal appeal of wisdom and the way it can inspire awe and reverence. In the Gospel, Jesus teaches the crowd about what truly defiles a person. He emphasizes that it is not external things, like food, that make us unclean, but rather the evil that comes from within—thoughts and actions rooted in malice, greed, and deceit. Jesus is challenging the people to look inward, to recognize that true purity comes from the heart.
The connection between the two readings lies in their emphasis on wisdom and the interior life. The Queen of Sheba’s encounter with Solomon shows us the beauty of seeking wisdom and recognizing God’s work in the world. Solomon’s wisdom was not just intellectual knowledge but also a reflection of his relationship with God. Similarly, Jesus’ teaching calls us to examine our own hearts and to recognize that our actions and decisions are shaped by what is within us. The readings remind us that wisdom and purity are not just external practices but are deeply rooted in our relationship with God and our commitment to living according to His will.
As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Are we seeking wisdom in our own lives? Do we recognize the ways in which our thoughts and actions can either reflect or distort God’s love? The Queen of Sheba’s visit reminds us of the importance of openness and humility in seeking truth. Jesus’ teaching challenges us to look inward and to purify our hearts. May we strive to cultivate wisdom and integrity, knowing that true defilement comes not from outside but from the evil that can take root within us. Let us pray for the grace to live with hearts that are pure, wise, and fully surrendered to God.