Daily Readings - Wed Feb 12 2020
1 Kings
1When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relation to the name of the LORD, she came to test him with hard questions.2Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan-with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones-she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind.3Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her.4When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built,5the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed.6She said to the king, "The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true.7But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard.8How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!9Praise be to the LORD your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the LORD's eternal love for Israel, he has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness."10And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
Mark
14Again Jesus called the crowd to him and said, "Listen to me, everyone, and understand this.15Nothing outside a man can make him 'unclean' by going into him. Rather, it is what comes out of a man that makes him 'unclean.'"16Verse omitted from the New International Version17After he had left the crowd and entered the house, his disciples asked him about this parable.18"Are you so dull?" he asked. "Don't you see that nothing that enters a man from the outside can make him 'unclean'?19For it doesn't go into his heart but into his stomach, and then out of his body." (In saying this, Jesus declared all foods "clean.")20He went on: "What comes out of a man is what makes him 'unclean.'21For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery,22greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.23All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean.'"
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the nature of true wisdom and purity. In the First Reading, the Queen of Sheba is drawn to King Solomon’s wisdom and the prosperity of Israel, recognizing the hand of God at work. Her visit is not just a diplomatic gesture but a pilgrimage of sorts, as she seeks to understand and marvel at the gifts God has bestowed upon His people. The Queen’s awe and humility remind us that wisdom is not just about knowledge but about recognizing and reverence for the divine.
In the Gospel, Jesus shifts our focus from external observances to the inner state of our hearts. He teaches that it is not what enters from outside that defiles us, but rather the evil that comes from within—thoughts of greed, malice, and deceit. This is a profound reminder that true purity and holiness are not achieved through rigid external rules but by cultivating a heart that loves God and neighbor. Jesus calls us to self-reflection and conversion, urging us to acknowledge the darkness within and to seek healing and transformation through Him.
Both readings, in their own way, point us to the importance of seeking wisdom and purity in our daily lives. Like the Queen of Sheba, we are called to approach God and His ways with humility and openness, recognizing the blessings He pours into our lives. And like the disciples in the Gospel, we are invited to look inward, to confront our own weaknesses, and to allow Christ to purify our hearts. May we strive to live with integrity, letting our actions and decisions flow from a heart that is truly transformed by God’s grace.