Daily Readings - Sat Feb 10 2018

First Reading - 1 Kings 12.26-32; 13.33-34

²⁶And Jeroboam said in his heart: "Now the kingdom will return to the house of David²⁷if this people ascend to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem. And the heart of this people will be converted to their lord Rehoboam, the king of Judah, and they will put me to death, and return to him.²⁸And devising a plan, he made two golden calves. And he said to them: "No longer choose to ascend to Jerusalem. Behold, these are your gods, O Israel, who led you away from the land of Egypt!²⁹And he stationed one in Bethel, and the other in Dan³⁰And this word became an occasion of sin. For the people went to adore the calf, even to Dan³¹And he made shrines on the high places, and he made priests out of the lowest people, who were not of the sons of Levi³²And he appointed a solemn day in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, in imitation of the solemnity that was celebrated in Judah. And ascending to the altar, he acted similarly in Bethel, so that he immolated to the calves, which he had made. And in Bethel, he appointed priests of the high places, which he had made

Chapter 13

³³After these words, Jeroboam did not turn back from his very evil way. Instead, to the contrary, he made priests for the high places out of the least of the people. Whosoever was willing, he filled his hand, and he became a priest of the high places³⁴And for this reason, the house of Jeroboam sinned, and was uprooted, and was wiped from the face of the earth

Gospel - Mark 8.1-10

Mark

Chapter 8

¹In those days, again, when there was a great crowd, and they did not have anything to eat, calling together his disciples, he said to them²"I have compassion for the multitude, because, behold, they have persevered with me now for three days, and they do not have anything to eat³And if I were to send them away fasting to their home, they might faint on the way." For some of them came from far away⁴And his disciples answered him, "From where would anyone be able to obtain enough bread for them in the wilderness?⁵And he questioned them, "How many loaves do you have?" And they said, "Seven.⁶And he instructed the crowd to sit down to eat on the ground. And taking the seven loaves, giving thanks, he broke and gave it to his disciples in order to place before them. And they placed these before the crowd⁷And they had a few small fish. And he blessed them, and he ordered them to be placed before them⁸And they ate and were satisfied. And they took up what had been leftover from the fragments: seven baskets⁹And those who ate were about four thousand. And he dismissed them¹⁰And promptly climbing into a boat with his disciples, he went into the parts of Dalmanutha

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two distinct narratives that invite us to reflect on the nature of worship and God's providence. The first reading from 1 Kings recounts Jeroboam's establishment of idolatrous worship, creating golden calves and unauthorized shrines. This act, driven by political motives to prevent the people from returning to Jerusalem, led to widespread sin and the eventual downfall of Jeroboam's dynasty. It underscores the consequences of diverting from true worship and the dangers of human-made religion. The Gospel, from Mark, presents a stark contrast with the story of Jesus feeding four thousand people with seven loaves and a few fish. This miracle, a testament to Jesus's divine compassion and power, highlights His role as the true source of nourishment—both physical and spiritual. Unlike Jeroboam's false idols, Jesus provides abundantly, teaching us to trust in God's provision and care. These readings remind us to examine our own worship and priorities. Just as Jeroboam's actions led the people astray, we must guard against modern "idols" that distract us from true devotion. Jesus's miracle encourages us to seek spiritual nourishment from Him. Let us reflect on our relationship with God, ensuring our worship is directed towards the one true God, and trust in His loving provision for our needs.