Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 12, 2024
First Reading: 1 Samuel 8.4-7, 10-22a
4So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah.5They said to him, "You are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways; now appoint a king to lead us, such as all the other nations have."6But when they said, "Give us a king to lead us," this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the LORD.7And the LORD told him: "Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king.10Samuel told all the words of the LORD to the people who were asking him for a king.11He said, "This is what the king who will reign over you will do: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots.12Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.13He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers.14He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants.15He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants.16Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use.17He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.18When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day."19But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us.20Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles."21When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD.22The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king." Then Samuel said to the men of Israel, "Everyone go back to his town."
Psalm 89
1I will sing of the LORD's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.2I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you established your faithfulness in heaven itself.3You said, "I have made a covenant with my chosen one, I have sworn to David my servant,4'I will establish your line forever and make your throne firm through all generations.'" Selah5The heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness too, in the assembly of the holy ones.6For who in the skies above can compare with the LORD? Who is like the LORD among the heavenly beings?7In the council of the holy ones God is greatly feared; he is more awesome than all who surround him.8O LORD God Almighty, who is like you? You are mighty, O LORD, and your faithfulness surrounds you.9You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them.10You crushed Rahab like one of the slain; with your strong arm you scattered your enemies.11The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the world and all that is in it.12You created the north and the south; Tabor and Hermon sing for joy at your name.13Your arm is endued with power; your hand is strong, your right hand exalted.14Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; love and faithfulness go before you.15Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD.16They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness.17For you are their glory and strength, and by your favor you exalt our horn.18Indeed, our shield belongs to the LORD, our king to the Holy One of Israel.19Once you spoke in a vision, to your faithful people you said: "I have bestowed strength on a warrior; I have exalted a young man from among the people.20I have found David my servant; with my sacred oil I have anointed him.21My hand will sustain him; surely my arm will strengthen him.22No enemy will subject him to tribute; no wicked man will oppress him.23I will crush his foes before him and strike down his adversaries.24My faithful love will be with him, and through my name his horn will be exalted.25I will set his hand over the sea, his right hand over the rivers.26He will call out to me, 'You are my Father, my God, the Rock my Savior.'27I will also appoint him my firstborn, the most exalted of the kings of the earth.28I will maintain my love to him forever, and my covenant with him will never fail.29I will establish his line forever, his throne as long as the heavens endure.30"If his sons forsake my law and do not follow my statutes,31if they violate my decrees and fail to keep my commands,32I will punish their sin with the rod, their iniquity with flogging;33but I will not take my love from him, nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.34I will not violate my covenant or alter what my lips have uttered.35Once for all, I have sworn by my holiness- and I will not lie to David-36that his line will continue forever and his throne endure before me like the sun;37it will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky." Selah38But you have rejected, you have spurned, you have been very angry with your anointed one.39You have renounced the covenant with your servant and have defiled his crown in the dust.40You have broken through all his walls and reduced his strongholds to ruins.41All who pass by have plundered him; he has become the scorn of his neighbors.42You have exalted the right hand of his foes; you have made all his enemies rejoice.43You have turned back the edge of his sword and have not supported him in battle.44You have put an end to his splendor and cast his throne to the ground.45You have cut short the days of his youth; you have covered him with a mantle of shame. Selah46How long, O LORD? Will you hide yourself forever? How long will your wrath burn like fire?47Remember how fleeting is my life. For what futility you have created all men!48What man can live and not see death, or save himself from the power of the grave? Selah49O Lord, where is your former great love, which in your faithfulness you swore to David?50Remember, Lord, how your servant has been mocked, how I bear in my heart the taunts of all the nations,51the taunts with which your enemies have mocked, O LORD, with which they have mocked every step of your anointed one.52Praise be to the LORD forever! Amen and Amen.
Gospel: Mark 2.1-12
1A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home.2So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them.3Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them.4Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on.5When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."6Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves,7"Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"8Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things?9Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'?10But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralytic,11"I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home."12He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two distinct narratives that invite us to reflect on trust, authority, and the divine plan. The first reading from 1 Samuel recounts the Israelites' demand for a king, despite Samuel's warnings about the consequences. This story highlights a pivotal moment in Israel's history, marking a shift from theocratic rule to monarchy. The Israelites, influenced by surrounding nations, seek a king to lead them, reflecting a desire for human governance over divine leadership. Samuel, though displeased, relays God's message, warning of the burdens a king will bring, yet the people persist, choosing earthly rule over God's sovereignty.
In the Gospel of Mark, we witness Jesus' encounter with a paralytic. The man's friends demonstrate unwavering faith by breaking through the roof to bring him to Jesus. Jesus, perceiving their faith, forgives the man's sins and heals him, countering the scribes' skepticism about His authority. This miracle underscores Jesus' divine power to forgive sins and heal, challenging the religious leaders' understanding of God's authority.
These readings intersect by illustrating the tension between human desire and divine will. The Israelites choose a king over God's direct rule, while the scribes question Jesus' authority. Both stories emphasize the importance of trusting God's plan and recognizing His sovereignty. The paralytic's healing, facilitated by his friends' faith, contrasts with the Israelites' lack of trust, highlighting the transformative power of faith in God's authority.
In our daily lives, these readings remind us to trust in God's plan rather than rely solely on human solutions. They encourage us to recognize that true freedom and fulfillment come from following God, not from earthly systems or desires. The moral lesson is clear: place your trust in God, for His ways are higher than our own. Just as the paralytic found healing through faith, we too can experience liberation by trusting in Jesus' authority and divine plan.