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 against the Philistines to battle, and pitched beside Ebenezer: and the Philistines pitched in Aphek.2And the Philistines put themselves in array against Israel: and when they joined battle, Israel was smitten before the Philistines: and they slew of the army in the field about four thousand men.3And when the people were come into the camp, the elders of Israel said, Wherefore hath the LORD smitten us to day before the Philistines? Let us fetch the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of Shiloh unto us, that, when it cometh among us, it may save us out of the hand of our enemies.4So the people sent to Shiloh, that they might bring from thence the ark of the covenant of the LORD of hosts, which dwelleth between the cherubims: and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.5And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again.6And when the Philistines heard the noise of the shout, they said, What meaneth the noise of this great shout in the camp of the Hebrews? And they understood that the ark of the LORD was come into the camp.7And the Philistines were afraid, for they said, God is come into the camp. And they said, Woe unto us! for there hath not been such a thing heretofore.8Woe unto us! who shall deliver us out of the hand of these mighty Gods? these are the Gods that smote the Egyptians with all the plagues in the wilderness.9Be strong, and quit yourselves like men, O ye Philistines, that ye be not servants unto the Hebrews, as they have been to you: quit yourselves like men, and fight.10And the Philistines fought, and Israel was smitten, and they fled every man into his tent: and there was a very great slaughter; for there fell of Israel thirty thousand footmen.11And the ark of God was taken; and the two sons of Eli, Hophni and Phinehas, were slain.
Psalm 44
1We have heard with our ears, O God, our fathers have told us, what work thou didst in their days, in the times of old.2How thou didst drive out the heathen with thy hand, and plantedst them; how thou didst afflict the people, and cast them out.3For they got not the land in possession by their own sword, neither did their own arm save them: but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto them.4Thou art my King, O God: command deliverances for Jacob.5Through thee will we push down our enemies: through thy name will we tread them under that rise up against us.6For I will not trust in my bow, neither shall my sword save me.7But thou hast saved us from our enemies, and hast put them to shame that hated us.8In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.9But thou hast cast off, and put us to shame; and goest not forth with our armies.10Thou makest us to turn back from the enemy: and they which hate us spoil for themselves.11Thou hast given us like sheep appointed for meat; and hast scattered us among the heathen.12Thou sellest thy people for nought, and dost not increase thy wealth by their price.13Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us.14Thou makest us a byword among the heathen, a shaking of the head among the people.15My confusion is continually before me, and the shame of my face hath covered me,16For the voice of him that reproacheth and blasphemeth; by reason of the enemy and avenger.17All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.18Our heart is not turned back, neither have our steps declined from thy way;19Though thou hast sore broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.20If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;21Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.22Yea, for thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.23Awake, why sleepest thou, O Lord? arise, cast us not off for ever.24Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and forgettest our affliction and our oppression?25For our soul is bowed down to the dust: our belly cleaveth unto the earth.26Arise for our help, and redeem us for thy mercies' sake.
Gospel: Mark 1.40-45
40And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.41And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean.42And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.43And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away;44And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them.45But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came 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.