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 upon the rocks of the wild goats.3And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave.4And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe privily.5And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt.6And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD'S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.7So David stayed his servants with these words, and suffered them not to rise against Saul. But Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way.8David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave, and cried after Saul, saying, My lord the king. And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed himself.9And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men's words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?10Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD'S anointed.11Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.12The LORD judge between me and thee, and the LORD avenge me of thee: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.13As saith the proverb of the ancients, Wickedness proceedeth from the wicked: but mine hand shall not be upon thee.14After whom is the king of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? after a dead dog, after a flea.15The LORD therefore be judge, and judge between me and thee, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of thine hand.16And it came to pass, when David had made an end of speaking these words unto Saul, that Saul said, Is this thy voice, my son David? And Saul lifted up his voice, and wept.17And he said to David, Thou art more righteous than I: for thou hast rewarded me good, whereas I have rewarded thee evil.18And thou hast shewed this day how that thou hast dealt well with me: forasmuch as when the LORD had delivered me into thine hand, thou killedst me not.19For if a man find his enemy, will he let him go well away? wherefore the LORD reward thee good for that thou hast done unto me this day.20And now, behold, I know well that thou shalt surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel shall be established in thine hand.
Psalm 57
1Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast.2I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.3He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth.4My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword.5Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.6They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah.7My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.8Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.9I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations.10For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.11Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.
Gospel: Mark 3.13-19
13And he goeth up into a mountain, and calleth unto him whom he would: and they came unto him.14And he ordained twelve, that they should be with him, and that he might send them forth to preach,15And to have power to heal sicknesses, and to cast out devils:16And Simon he surnamed Peter;17And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James; and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, The sons of thunder:18And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite,19And Judas Iscariot, which also betrayed him: and they went into an house.
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.