Daily Readings - Wed Feb 07 2024
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 the purity of heart. In the First Reading, the Queen of Sheba is drawn to King Solomon’s wisdom, which she recognizes as a gift from God. She is not only impressed by Solomon’s knowledge but also by the prosperity and order of Israel, which she attributes to God’s favor. This passage reminds us that true wisdom is not just intellectual knowledge but also the ability to live justly and to recognize God’s presence in the world. The Queen’s visit is a testament to the universal appeal of God’s wisdom, which transcends borders and cultures.
In the Gospel, Jesus shifts our focus from external rituals to the inner state of our hearts. He teaches that what defiles a person is not what enters from outside but what comes out from within. Jesus lists evils such as greed, deceit, and adultery, emphasizing that these vices originate in the heart. This teaching challenges us to examine our own thoughts and actions, recognizing that true purity comes from within. Like the Queen of Sheba, we are called to seek wisdom and to recognize God’s presence in our lives, but we must also attend to the condition of our own hearts.
These readings remind us that our relationship with God is not just about external practices but about the integrity of our lives. The Queen of Sheba’s admiration for Solomon’s wisdom encourages us to seek God’s wisdom in our own lives, while Jesus’ teaching calls us to cultivate purity of heart. As we go about our daily lives, let us strive to live in a way that reflects the wisdom and love of God, both in our actions and in the depths of our hearts. May we, like the Queen of Sheba, be moved to praise God for the gifts we have received, and may we, like Jesus, be mindful of the thoughts and intentions that shape who we are.