Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection February 09, 2026
Monday – Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
09th February 2026 (Monday)
Psalter: Week 1
Readings of the Day
First Reading: 1 Kings 8:1-7, 9-13
In those days: Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers’ houses of the people of Israel, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the city of David, which is Sion. And all the men of Israel assembled to King Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. And they brought up the ark of the Lord, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the Most Holy Place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone that Moses put there at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the Lord, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord. Then Solomon said, “The Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. I have indeed built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in for ever.”
Psalm 132:6-7, 8-10 (R. 8a)
R/. Go up, Lord, to the place of your rest.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. Jesus was proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people
R/. Alleluia
Gospel: Mark 6:53-56
At that time: When Jesus and his disciples had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces, and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
Daily Gospel Reflection
Monday – Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Main Point: We often treat God like a VIP that is too important to disturb. But we see from Jesus that God wants to be bothered. He doesn’t want us to stand back in fear He wants us to run to Him in faith.
1. In the first reading from 1 Kings, we see a moment that is tremendous and majestic. King Solomon has completed the construction of the Temple. It is grand. It is gold. It is perfect.
2. They bring into the inner sanctuary the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the Ten Commandments. And then, something scary happens. An idol, a cloud fills the house of the Lord. It says the priests “could not stand to minister, for the cloud.”
3. The glory of the Lord was so heavy – so powerful – that human beings had to step back. God was dwelling “in the thick gloomy.” It was a God of awe, a God of distance. You respected Him but you were probably terrified to get too close.
4. Now, flip to the Gospel of Mark. We get a completely different picture of God. Jesus and his disciples land the boat in Gennesaret.
5. There is no thick cloud. There is no scary darkness. Instead, people “scurried about the entire neighborhood.” The disciples had recognized Jesus at once.
6. In the first reading the priests had to back away from the presence of God. In the Gospel, the people are running to the presence of God. They were not concerned with protocols or rituals. They seized their sick friends by the mats and carried them to where ever Jesus was.
7. Think about the difference. In the Temple, to touch the holy Ark was forbidden – it could kill you. But here, the people beg just to “touch the fringe of his cloth.” And all the people with whom he came in touch healed.
8. God moved. He passed from a scary cloud in a stone building to a living Person walking on the beach. He went from being “untouchable” to being the one who heals us when we touch Him.
9. The energy of the people in the Gospel – I Love this. They were desperate. They didn’t say let’s not bother Jesus because he’s tired. They didn’t say “I am not holy enough to talk to him.” They just ran.
10. At times, though, I think that we are too polite with God. We behave as though He is still in the dark cloud. We believe that our problems are too small, or our sins are too big. We stand back.
11. But Jesus is saying, “Come here.” He doesn’t mind the crowd. And he’s not minding the interruption. He didn’t push one single person away.
12. The people of Gennesaret teach us a great lesson particularly: Don’t wait. Don’t worry about being perfect. Just take your “mat” – your sickness, your worry, your pain, and run to Him.
My Practice: When I pray – do I pray to the God who is like the statue in a temple in a far place or the God who is like the person who wants to help me in my life? Is there a problem I am keeping to myself because I don’t want to “bother” God with it?
