Daily Readings - Tue Feb 11 2020
1 Kings
22Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in front of the whole assembly of Israel, spread out his hands toward heaven23and said: "O LORD, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below-you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way.27"But will God really dwell on earth? The heavens, even the highest heaven, cannot contain you. How much less this temple I have built!28Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day.29May your eyes be open toward this temple night and day, this place of which you said, 'My Name shall be there,' so that you will hear the prayer your servant prays toward this place.30Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive.
Mark
1The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and2saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were "unclean," that is, unwashed.3(The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders.4When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles. )5So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with 'unclean' hands?"6He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: "'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.7They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.'8You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."9And he said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!10For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.'11But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban' (that is, a gift devoted to God),12then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother.13Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that."
Sermon
In today's readings, we journey through two significant moments in scripture that invite us to reflect on the essence of worship and our relationship with God. The first reading from 1 Kings presents Solomon dedicating the Temple, a grand structure built to honor God. Solomon's prayer humbly acknowledges that even the heavens cannot contain God, yet he petitions for God's presence and hearing among His people. This scene underscores the importance of prayer and the belief that God dwells among us, even in the places we construct for worship.
The Gospel from Mark contrasts this with a confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees, who criticize His disciples for not adhering to traditional hand-washing rituals before eating. Jesus responds by denouncing their hypocrisy, emphasizing that true worship is not about external rituals but about sincerity and adherence to God's commandments. He highlights their tendency to prioritize human traditions over divine laws, such as honoring parents, illustrating the tension between outward practices and inward devotion.
These readings remind us that our faith should not be confined to external rituals but should flow from a sincere heart. In our daily lives, it's easy to focus on religious practices while neglecting the deeper aspects of our faith, such as love, compassion, and justice. Let us reflect on whether our worship is merely a matter of tradition or a genuine expression of our love for God. May we strive to align our actions with God's will, ensuring that our faith is not just a set of rituals but a living, breathing relationship with the Divine.