First reading 1 Kings 8:1-7,9-13
The Ark of the Covenant is brought into the Temple
Solomon called the elders of Israel together in Jerusalem to bring the ark of the covenant of the Lord up from the Citadel of David, which is Zion. All the men of Israel assembled round King Solomon in the month of Ethanim, at the time of the feast (that is, the seventh month), and the priests took up the ark and the Tent of Meeting with all the sacred vessels that were in it. In the presence of the ark, King Solomon and all Israel sacrificed sheep and oxen, countless, innumerable. The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord to its place, in the Debir of the Temple, that is, in the Holy of Holies, under the cherubs’ wings. For there where the ark was placed the cherubs spread out their wings and sheltered the ark and its shafts. There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets Moses had placed in it at Horeb, the tablets of the covenant which the Lord had made with the Israelites when they came out of the land of Egypt; they are still there today.
Now when the priests came out of the sanctuary, the cloud filled the Temple of the Lord, and because of the cloud the priests could no longer perform their duties: the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s Temple.
Then Solomon said:
‘The Lord has chosen to dwell in the thick cloud.
Yes, I have built you a dwelling,
a place for you to live in for ever.’
Responsorial Psalm 131(132):6-10
Go up, Lord, to the place of your rest!
At Ephrata we heard of the ark;
we found it in the plains of Yearim.
‘Let us go to the place of his dwelling;
let us go to kneel at his footstool.’
Go up, Lord, to the place of your rest,
you and the ark of your strength.
Your priests shall be clothed with holiness;
your faithful shall ring out their joy.
For the sake of David your servant
do not reject your anointed.
Gospel Mark 6:53-56
All those who touched him were cured
Having made the crossing, Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret and tied up. No sooner had they stepped out of the boat than people recognised him, and started hurrying all through the countryside and brought the sick on stretchers to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he went, to village, or town, or farm, they laid down the sick in the open spaces, begging him to let them touch even the fringe of his cloak. And all those who touched him were cured.
____________________________________
Touching Jesus
In the gospel, we encounter many situations in which Jesus felt compassion for the sick, the disabled and the blind, and He placed His hands on them to heal them. Some others approached Jesus and believed they would be healed by touching even the fringe of his cloak. Reading the gospel, we may think: “If only Jesus would be here, and I could touch Him, as His contemporaries did!” Let us be aware that Jesus continues to be present today in the Eucharist and His word. In the Eucharist, we can touch Him. Through His word, He touches us when we open ourselves to Him and believe in Him.
Jesus is alive in us. We can talk to Him, pour out our heart to Him and listen to Him through His word. St. Ambrose says, “We have been given Sacred Scripture so that God and man may talk together; for we speak to Him when we pray; we hear Him when we read the divine saying.” Let us allow ourselves to be touched by Him as we open our hearts to His word.
Reflective question:
Do I allow Jesus to touch my mind and heart when I pray?
Do I allow Jesus to touch my mind and heart when I pray?
Acknowledgment: Reflections are based on “Prayer for Living: The Word of God for Daily Prayer Year B” by Sr Maria Jose FMVD.
