February 7, 2026
Saturday of the Fourth Week
in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 328
Reading
1
Solomon went to
Gibeon to sacrifice there,
because that was the most renowned high place.
Upon its altar Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings.
In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream at night.
God said, “Ask something of me and I will give it to you.”
Solomon answered:
“You have shown great favor to your servant, my father David,
because he behaved faithfully toward you,
with justice and an upright heart;
and you have continued this great favor toward him, even today,
seating a son of his on his throne.
O LORD, my God, you have made me, your servant,
king to succeed my father David;
but I am a mere youth, not knowing at all how to act.
I serve you in the midst of the people whom you have chosen,
a people so vast that it cannot be numbered or counted.
Give your servant, therefore, an understanding heart
to judge your people and to distinguish right from wrong.
For who is able to govern this vast people of yours?”
The LORD was pleased that Solomon made this request.
So God said to him: “Because you have asked for this–
not for a long life for yourself,
nor for riches, nor for the life of your enemies,
but for understanding so that you may know what is right–
I do as you requested.
I give you a heart so wise and understanding
that there has never been anyone like you up to now,
and after you there will come no one to equal you.
In addition, I give you what you have not asked for,
such riches and glory that among kings there is not your like.”
Responsorial
Psalm
Psalm 119:9, 10, 11, 12, 13,
14
R. (12b) Lord,
teach me your statutes.
How shall a young man be faultless in his way?
By keeping to your words.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
With all my heart I seek you;
let me not stray from your commands.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Within my heart I treasure your promise,
that I may not sin against you.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Blessed are you, O LORD;
teach me your statutes.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
With my lips I declare
all the ordinances of your mouth.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
In the way of your decrees I rejoice,
as much as in all riches.
R. Lord, teach me your statutes.
Alleluia
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
My sheep hear my voice, says the Lord;
I know them, and they follow me.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
The Apostles
gathered together with Jesus
and reported all they had done and taught.
He said to them,
“Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while.”
People were coming and going in great numbers,
and they had no opportunity even to eat.
So they went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place.
People saw them leaving and many came to know about it.
They hastened there on foot from all the towns
and arrived at the place before them.
When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd,
his heart was moved with pity for them,
for they were like sheep without a shepherd;
and he began to teach them many things.
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/020726.cfm
Commentary on 1
Kings 3:4-13
Today we have our first reading on King Solomon. It tells of
the source of Solomon’s proverbial wisdom. The second part of the chapter,
which we will not be reading, tells the story of that wisdom in action when
Solomon solved a dispute between two women over which of them was the real
mother of two children, one living, one dead.
We are told today that Solomon goes to Gibeon to sacrifice.
Gibeon lay to the northwest of Jerusalem and was in the territory of Benjamin.
At the time of the conquest of Canaan by the Israelites, the Gibeonites tricked
Joshua and Israel into a peace treaty. The city was subsequently given to the
tribe of Benjamin and set apart for the Levites. David avenged Saul’s violation
of the Gibeonite treaty by the execution of seven of Saul’s descendants (see 2
Sam 21:1-9 and Monday’s reading of this week).
The reason for Gibeon’s importance was the presence there of
the tabernacle and an ancient bronze altar. These must have been salvaged after
the destruction of Shiloh by the Philistines. There Solomon made a huge
offering of 1,000 holocausts. Later, the tabernacle will be moved to the new
temple that Solomon will build in Jerusalem.
While still in Gibeon, the Lord tells Solomon in a dream to
ask for anything he wants. Before the time of the prophets, dreams were one of
the main channels by which God communicated with people. But in the New
Testament, we also see Joseph being spoken to by God three times in a dream
(Matt 1:20; 2:12 and 2:22), and there is the vision of Peter in Acts
(10:10-16). It is not clear what the distinction would be between a dream and a
vision.
In response to God’s command, Solomon praises the Lord for
all that had been done through his father David. And these favours continue by
God’s seating a son of David on his throne. But Solomon is very young and knows
little about administration. The birth of Solomon is generally placed in
approximately the middle of David’s 40-year reign, meaning that Solomon was
about 20 years old at the beginning of his own reign, and hence lacked
experience in assuming the responsibilities of his office.
Moreover, he is king of a very large number of people, “so
numerous they cannot be numbered or counted”. Something of an exaggeration, of
course, but from the small beginnings of a single family living in Egypt, the
Israelites had increased to an extent approaching that anticipated in the
promises given to Abraham and Jacob.
Solomon, therefore, asks the Lord to give him “an
understanding mind” so that he can rule with equity and distinguish right from
wrong. He prays for wisdom in practical affairs. It is a generous request, made
not for himself, but for the benefit of the people over whom he rules.
The Lord is deeply pleased that Solomon has not asked for
what Near Eastern rulers traditionally looked for: long life, great wealth, the
destruction of enemies. He had asked for wisdom, for deep insight into what is
true and good. And so the Lord gives him what he asks:
…I give you a wise and discerning mind; no one like you
has been before you, and no one like you shall arise after you.
And, because of his integrity and concern for the good of
his people, Solomon will also get those things which he did not ask for—riches
and glory, the likes of which had never been seen until that time.
And indeed, Solomon would become famous both for his wisdom
and also for his great wealth.
God today puts to me the same question he put to Solomon:
Ask what I should give you.
What will I ask for? What do I really want? What do I really
need? Let me not be too hasty in answering the question. Remember the promise
of Jesus:
Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be given
to you as well. (Luke 12:31)
The answer I give to this question can be very revealing of
my attitudes, my values, my priorities and where I stand in my relationships
with God, others and self.
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Commentary on Mark
6:30-34
The Twelve came back from their mission full of excitement
at all they had done and taught. Jesus now told them to withdraw for a while
for reflection and rest. This is what Jesus himself used to do. Large crowds
were still mobbing Jesus and perhaps some of the Apostles too, so much so that
they did not even have time to eat. This could have been a real time of
temptation as the Apostles began to glory in their new-found power and the
resultant fame and popularity.
We also see here once more the balance in Jesus’ life. He
was so available to all those in need, the poor, the sick, the outcasts, but
there was a limit to his availability. He knew when he needed to get away, to
renew contact with his Father and to recharge his batteries (see Mark 1:35-37).
Some people are too self-centred. They have a very poor
awareness of other people’s needs and do not bother to meet them. On the other
hand, there are those who need to be needed. Their need is to have people
looking constantly for them, but the result can often be ‘burnout’ or
breakdowns. There are times when we have to learn to be able to say ‘No’
without feeling guilty.
So Jesus and his disciples take off in a boat to a solitary
place where they will be left to themselves. Rather, that is what they thought
they did. But the people saw them leaving and had a good idea where they were
headed. While Jesus and his disciples crossed the lake in a boat, the people
hurried along the lake shore. When Jesus stepped out of the boat, he was again
faced by a huge crowd.
Jesus quickly decides that this is a time for availability.
He is deeply moved by the people’s need; they were like lost sheep in need of a
shepherd’s guidance. The people’s persistence in coming out to a desert place
echoes the people of Israel in their wanderings. Here, Jesus is the Shepherd of
the New Israel. So he begins to teach them. Their first hunger was spiritual.
They needed to understand what Jesus stood for and why he did the things he
did. There is a Eucharistic connection here and in what follows (the
multiplication of loaves), and the teaching corresponds to what we now call the
Liturgy of the Word during the Eucharist.
The story illustrates well the balance in Jesus’ life. As he
did himself, he urges his disciples to retire and reflect on the meaning of
what they are doing. Otherwise they may become active for activity’s sake, or
for other less worthy motives. At the same time, in this particular situation,
Jesus sees that a response is called for. The day of reflection is abandoned,
and the people in their great need are served.
Let us learn, through careful discernment, to do likewise—to
do the right thing at the right time.
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https://livingspace.sacredspace.ie/o2047g/
Saturday,
February 7, 2026
Ordinary Time
Opening Prayer
Lord our God, help us to love You
with all our hearts and to love all people as You love them.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, who
lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, forever and ever. Amen.
Gospel reading - Mark 6: 30-34
The Apostles gathered together with Jesus and reported all
they had done and taught. He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a
deserted place and rest a while.” People were coming and going in great
numbers, and they had no opportunity even to eat. So they went off in the boat
by themselves to a deserted place. People saw them leaving and many came to
know about it. They hastened there on foot from all the towns and arrived at
the place before them. When Jesus disembarked and saw the vast crowd, his heart
was moved with pity for them, for they were like sheep without a shepherd; and
he began to teach them many things.
Reflection
The Gospel today is in
great contrast with that of yesterday. On one side, the banquet of death,
wanted by Herod with the great of his kingdom in the Palace of the Capital,
during which John the Baptist was murdered (Mk 6: 17-29); on the other side,
the banquet of life promoted by Jesus with the hungry people of Galilee in the
desert (Mk 6: 30-44).The Gospel today presents only the introduction to the
multiplication of the loaves and describes the teaching of Jesus.
• Mark
6: 30-32. The welcome given to the disciples. At that time, the apostles
rejoined Jesus and told Him all they had done and taught. And He said to them,
“Come away to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest for a while.” These
verses show how Jesus formed His disciples. He was not concerned only with the
content of the preaching, but also with rest for the disciples. He invited them
to go to a lonely place so as to be able to rest and review what they had done.
• Mark
6: 33-34. The welcome given to the people. The people noticed that Jesus had
gone to the other side of the lake, and they followed Him trying to go to Him
by foot, to the other shore. So, as He stepped ashore He saw a large crowd, and
He took pity on them because they were like sheep without a shepherd and He
began to teach them at some length. Seeing that crowd, Jesus was sad, because
they were like sheep without a shepherd. He forgets about His own rest and
begins to teach them. In becoming aware that the people have no shepherd, Jesus
began to be their shepherd. He begins to teach them.
As the psalm says, “The Lord is
my Shepherd! I lack nothing. In grassy meadows He lets me lie. By tranquil
streams He leads me to restore my spirit. He guides me in paths of saving
justice as befits His name. Even were I to walk in a ravine as dark as death I
should fear no danger, for You are at my side. Your staff and Your crook are
there to soothe me. You prepare a table for me in the sight of my enemies.” (Ps
23 1: 3- 5). Jesus wanted to rest
together with His disciples, but the desire to respond to the needs of the
people impels Him to leave rest aside. Something similar happens when He meets
the Samaritan woman. The disciples went to get some food. When they returned,
they said to Jesus, “Master, eat something!” (Jn 4: 31), but He answers, “I
have food to eat that you do not know about.” (Jn 4: 32). The desire to respond
to the needs of the Samaritan people leads Him to forget His hunger. My food is
to do the will of the One who sent Me and to complete His work (Jn 4: 34). The
first thing is to respond to the people who look for Him. Then He can eat.
Then Jesus began to teach them many
things. The Gospel of Mark tells us many things that Jesus taught. The people
were impressed: A new teaching! He taught them with authority! It was unlike
that of the scribes! (Mk 1: 22, 27). Teaching was what Jesus did the most (Mk
2: 13; 4: 1-2; 6: 34). This is what He usually did (Mk 10: 1). For another
fifteen times Mark says that Jesus taught. Was it perhaps because Mark was not
interested in the content? It depends on what people understand when they speak
about content! To teach is not only a question of teaching new truths in order
to say something. The content which Jesus gave did not only appear in His
words, but also in His gestures and in His way of relating with people. The
content is never separated from the person who communicates it. Jesus was a
welcoming person (Mk 6: 34). He wanted the good of the people. The goodness and
the love which came from His words formed part of the content. They were His
temperament. A good content without goodness and kindness would be like milk
poured on the floor. Jesus’ teaching manifested itself in a thousand ways.
Jesus accepts as disciples not only men, but also women. He does not only teach
in the synagogue, but also in any place where there were people to listen to
Him: in the synagogue, in the house, on the shore, on the mountain, on the
plain, in the boat, in the desert. It was not the relationship of
pupil-teacher, but of disciple to Master.
The professor teaches and the pupil is with him during the
time of the class. The Master gives witness and the disciple lives with Him 24
hours a day. It is more difficult to be a Master than a teacher! We are not
pupils of Jesus, we are His disciples! The teaching of Jesus was a communication
that came from the abundance of His heart in the most varied forms: like a
conversation by which He tries to clarify the facts (Mk 9: 9-13), like a
comparison or parable that invites people to think and to participate (Mk 4:
33), like an explanation of what He Himself thought and did (Mk 7: 17-23), like
a discussion which does not necessarily avoid polemics (Mk 2: 6-12), like a
criticism that denounces what is false and mistaken (Mk 12: 38-40). It was
always a witness of what He Himself lived, an expression of His love! (Mt 11:
28-30).
Personal Questions
•
What do you do when you want to teach others
something about your faith and your religion?
•
Do you imitate Jesus? Jesus is concerned not
only about the content, but also about rest. How was the religious education
that you received as a child?
•
Did the catechists imitate Jesus?
Concluding Prayer
How can a young man keep his way spotless? By keeping your
words.
With all my heart I seek You; do not let me stray from Your
commandments. (Ps 119: 9-10)
