Daily Readings - Mon Feb 05 2018

First Reading - 1 Kings 8.1-7, 9-13

¹Then all those greater by birth of Israel, with the leaders of the tribes and the rulers of the families of the sons of Israel, gathered together before king Solomon at Jerusalem, so that they might carry the ark of the covenant of the Lord, from the city of David, that is, from Zion²And all of Israel assembled before king Solomon, on the solemn day in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month³And all the elders of Israel arrived, and the priests took up the ark⁴And they carried the ark of the Lord, and the tabernacle of the covenant, and all the vessels of the Sanctuary, which were in the tabernacle; and the priests and the Levites carried these⁵Then king Solomon, and the entire multitude of Israel, who had assembled before him, advanced with him before the ark. And they immolated sheep and oxen, which could not be numbered or estimated⁶And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, into the oracle of the temple, in the Holy of Holies, under the wings of the cherubim⁷For indeed, the cherubim extended their wings over the place of the ark, and they protected the ark and its bars from above⁹Now inside the ark, there was nothing other than the two tablets of stone, which Moses had placed in it at Horeb, when the Lord formed a covenant with the sons of Israel, when they departed from the land of Egypt¹⁰Then it happened that, when the priests had exited from the Sanctuary, a cloud filled the house of the Lord¹¹And the priests were unable to stand and minister, because of the cloud. For the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord¹²Then Solomon said: "The Lord has said that he would dwell in a cloud¹³Building, I have built a house as your dwelling place, your most firm throne forever.

Gospel - Mark 6.53-56

Mark

Chapter 6

⁵³And when they had crossed over, they arrived in the land of Genesaret, and they reached the shore⁵⁴And when they had disembarked from the boat, the people immediately recognized him⁵⁵And running throughout that entire region, they began to carry on beds those who had maladies, to where they heard that he would be⁵⁶And in whichever place he entered, in towns or villages or cities, they placed the infirm in the main streets, and they pleaded with him that they might touch even the hem of his garment. And as many as touched him were made healthy

Sermon

In today's readings, we witness profound moments of God's presence and divine action. The first reading from 1 Kings recounts the transfer of the Ark of the Covenant to the Temple in Jerusalem, a pivotal event in Israel's history. The Ark, a symbol of God's covenant, is brought into the Temple, and the presence of God is so powerful that a cloud fills the space, overwhelming the priests. This moment signifies God's dwelling among His people, a promise fulfilled through Solomon's dedication of the Temple. In the Gospel of Mark, we see Jesus continuing His ministry in Gennesaret. Recognized by the people, He heals the sick who touch His garment, demonstrating His divine power and compassion. This passage highlights Jesus as the living presence of God, offering healing and hope to those who seek Him. Both readings invite us to reflect on God's presence in our lives. Just as the Temple was a sacred space, our lives should be temples of the Holy Spirit, where we actively seek God's presence. Like the people in Gennesaret, we are called to trust in Jesus' power to transform us. May we find healing and guidance by staying close to Him, recognizing His presence in our daily lives. Let us seek God with faith, trusting in His transformative power.