Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 31, 2026
First Reading: 2 Samuel 12.1-7a, 10-17
1And the LORD sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.2The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:3But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.4And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.5And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the LORD liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:6And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.7And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;10Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.11Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.12For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.13And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD. And Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.14Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.15And Nathan departed unto his house. And the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.16David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.17And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.
Psalm 51
1Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.2Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.3For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.4Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.5Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.6Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.8Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.9Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.10Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.11Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.12Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.13Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.14Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.15O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.16For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.18Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.19Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.
Gospel: Mark 4.35-41
35And the same day, when the even was come, he saith unto them, Let us pass over unto the other side.36And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships.37And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.38And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?39And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.40And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?41And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?
Sermon
In the first reading, we witness the powerful confrontation between the prophet Nathan and King David. Nathan, through a compelling parable of a rich man who unjustly takes a poor man's cherished lamb, leads David to furious indignation and a demand for justice. It is then that Nathan delivers the devastating blow: "You are that man." David's hidden sins of adultery with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah are brought into the light of God's judgment. While God forgives David's sin upon his heartfelt repentance, the consequence of his actions remains, tragically culminating in the death of the child born of that union. This narrative is a stark reminder that even God's chosen leaders are held accountable, and that while mercy abounds, our actions carry significant weight and often lead to consequences, even after forgiveness.
The Gospel presents a different kind of storm. Jesus and his disciples are on the Sea of Galilee when a violent tempest arises, threatening to capsize their boat. The disciples, overwhelmed by fear, awaken Jesus, who is asleep, questioning his concern for their lives. With a simple word, Jesus rebukes the wind and the sea, bringing about an immediate and profound calm. He then challenges his disciples' lack of faith, leaving them in awe of his authority over creation itself. Both readings, though vastly different in their scenarios, speak to human vulnerability and divine power. David faces the storm of his own sin and divine judgment, while the disciples face a natural storm that tests their trust in Jesus' presence.
These readings invite us to reflect on the storms in our own lives. Like David, we may find ourselves in the tempest of our own making, where hidden sins or unaddressed wrongs bring inner turmoil and eventual consequence. The story calls us to honest repentance and a willingness to face the truth, trusting in God's mercy even amidst the lingering effects of our choices. Like the disciples, we also encounter external storms – trials, anxieties, and difficulties that threaten to overwhelm us. The Gospel reminds us that Christ is always in the boat with us, even if we perceive Him as sleeping or distant. Our challenge is to awaken our faith, to cry out to Him in our fear, and to trust in His sovereign power to calm the winds and waves, both within our hearts and in the world around us. His question, "Why are you afraid? Do you still lack faith?" echoes through the ages, urging us to deeper reliance on His loving presence.