Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 31, 2026
First Reading: 2 Samuel 12.1-7a, 10-17
1The LORD sent Nathan to David. When he came to him, he said, "There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor.2The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle,3but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.4"Now a traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveler who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him."5David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, "As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!6He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity."7Then Nathan said to David, "You are the man! This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul.10Now, therefore, the sword will never depart from your house, because you despised me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your own.'11"This is what the LORD says: 'Out of your own household I am going to bring calamity upon you. Before your very eyes I will take your wives and give them to one who is close to you, and he will lie with your wives in broad daylight.12You did it in secret, but I will do this thing in broad daylight before all Israel.'"13Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan replied, "The LORD has taken away your sin. You are not going to die.14But because by doing this you have made the enemies of the LORD show utter contempt, the son born to you will die."15After Nathan had gone home, the LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife had borne to David, and he became ill.16David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and went into his house and spent the nights lying on the ground.17The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused, and he would not eat any food with them.
Psalm 51
1Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.2Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.3For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me.4Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge.5Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.6Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.7Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.8Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice.9Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.10Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.11Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.12Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.13Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you.14Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.15O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.16You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.17The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.18In your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.19Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight you; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
Gospel: Mark 4.35-41
35That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side."36Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him.37A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.38Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"39He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.40He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?"41They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves 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.