Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection February 11, 2026
Wednesday – Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
11th February 2026 (Wednesday)
Psalter: Week 1
Readings of the Day
First Reading: 1 Kings 10:1-10
In those days: When the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. She came to Jerusalem with a very great retinue, with camels bearing spices, and very much gold and precious stones. And when she came to Solomon, she told him all that was on her mind. And Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing hidden from the king that he could not explain to her. And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, their clothing, his cupbearers, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more breath in her. And she said to the king, “The report was true that I heard in my own land of your words and of your wisdom, but I did not believe the reports until I came and my own eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. Your wisdom and prosperity surpass the report that I heard. Happy are your men! Happy are your servants, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! Blessed be the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and set you on the throne of Israel! Because the Lord loved Israel for ever, he has made you king, that you may execute justice and righteousness.” Then she gave the king one hundred twenty talents of gold, and a very great quantity of spices and precious stones. Never again came such an abundance of spices as these that the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon.
Psalm 37:5-6, 30-31, 39-40 (R. 30a)
R/. The mouth of the just man utters wisdom.
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. Your word, O Lord, is truth; sanctify us in the truth
R/. Alleluia
Gospel: Mark 7:14-23
At that time: Jesus called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters, not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”
Daily Gospel Reflection
Wednesday – Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Main Point: We spend so much time cleaning our outer world – our looks, our reputation, our home. But Jesus tells us that the true mess as well as the true beauty, begins from within.
1. In the first reading we see a meeting of two superstars. The Queen of sheba comes from a far distance to see king Solomon. She had heard rumors of his wisdom and his wealth but she was skeptical. She wanted to “test” him through “hard questions.”
2. This woman was a seeker. She wasn’t interested in gossip or second-hand news. She wanted to see for herself. And then when she listened to Solomon’s words, She said “there was no more spirit in her.” She was breathless. She admitted, “Half of the report was not told to me.”
3. The Queen of Sheba teaches us a beautiful lesson of looking for God. She travelled long and hard just to listen to human wisdom. How many efforts do we put in to listen to Divine wisdom? Do we make the five-minute trip even a five-minute drive to open our Bibles or sit in silence?
4. Solomon was very wise, Jesus is better. . . . The Queen was impressed with the food, the servants and the buildings. She was looking to the outside glory
5. In the Gospel Jesus turns this focus completely. He calls the people to him and says, “Hear me all of you, and understand.” He wants to dispel a major confusion.
6. People believed that certain foods or things could make you “unclean” or sinful that you shouldn’t eat or touch. They believed that sin was something that attacked you from the outside like a virus.
7. Jesus says, “No.” He explains that nothing going into a man from the outside can defile him. Food just goes into the stomach and comes out of the body. It doesn’t touch the soul.
8. The real danger is inside. From inside the heart of man comes evil thoughts.” He lists them; theft, murder, adultery, envy, pride. These things aren’t caused by pork and unwashed hands. And they are caused by twisted hearts.
9. This is a hard truth. It means that we cannot blame our environment for our sins. We can’t say, “I yelled because he made me angry,” and “I lied because the situation made me.” Jesus replies, no, that anger and that lie emanated from your heart. The situation just squeezed it out.
10. Today, besides, is the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes. Mary appeared to a young, poor girl, named Bernadette. Bernadette was no queen of the type of the Queen of Sheba. She was simple. She had nothing “outside” to impress anyone.
11. But Mary chose her because her inside was clean. Bernadette’s heart was clean. While the Queen of Sheba brought the gold and spices, Bernadette brought simple faith and prayer.
12. The Queen of Sheba was marveled by the answers that Solomon gave. Bernadette was amazed by the presence of Mary. Both women found something better than themselves because they were looking.
13. So, we have two lessons today. First, be like the Queen, seek knowledge, ask questions, do not be lazy in your faith. Second, listen to Jesus; stop worrying about looking holy on the outside and start cleaning up the inside. A writer says, “A clean heart is better than a good name.”
My Practice: When I get upset today, instead of blaming the person that annoyed me, can I look inside and ask, “Why did my heart react that way?” What is one thing “inside” I need to clean up – maybe a little bit of envy or somewhere a little bit of pride?
