Reading 1 1 Kgs 8:1-7, 9-13
The elders of Israel and all the leaders of the tribes,
the princes in the ancestral houses of the children of Israel,
came to King Solomon in Jerusalem,
to bring up the ark of the LORD's covenant
from the City of David, which is Zion.
All the people of Israel assembled before King Solomon
during the festival in the month of Ethanim (the seventh month).
When all the elders of Israel had arrived,
the priests took up the ark;
they carried the ark of the LORD
and the meeting tent with all the sacred vessels
that were in the tent.
(The priests and Levites carried them.)
King Solomon and the entire community of Israel
present for the occasion
sacrificed before the ark sheep and oxen
too many to number or count.
The priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD
to its place beneath the wings of the cherubim in the sanctuary,
the holy of holies of the temple.
The cherubim had their wings spread out over the place of the ark,
sheltering the ark and its poles from above.
There was nothing in the ark but the two stone tablets
which Moses had put there at Horeb,
when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel
at their departure from the land of Egypt.
When the priests left the holy place,
the cloud filled the temple of the LORD
so that the priests could no longer minister because of the cloud,
since the LORD's glory had filled the temple of the LORD.
Then Solomon said, "The LORD intends to dwell in the dark cloud;
I have truly built you a princely house,
a dwelling where you may abide forever."
Responsorial Psalm Ps 132:6-7, 8-10
R. (8a) Lord, go up to the place of your rest!
Behold, we heard of it in Ephrathah;
we found it in the fields of Jaar.
Let us enter into his dwelling,
let us worship at his footstool.
R. Lord, go up to the place of your rest!
Advance, O LORD, to your resting place,
you and the ark of your majesty.
May your priests be clothed with justice;
let your faithful ones shout merrily for joy.
For the sake of David your servant,
reject not the plea of your anointed.
R. Lord, go up to the place of your rest!
Gospel Mk 6:53-56
After making the crossing to the other side of the sea,
Jesus and his disciples came to land at Gennesaret
and tied up there.
As they were leaving the boat, people immediately recognized him.
They scurried about the surrounding country
and began to bring in the sick on mats
to wherever they heard he was.
Whatever villages or towns or countryside he entered,
they laid the sick in the marketplaces
and begged him that they might touch only the tassel on his cloak;
and as many as touched it were healed.
Meditation: Mark 6:53-56
People immediately recognized him.” (Mark 6:54)
Take a minute and quickly read today’s first reading. Solomon was so happy: He had built a temple of the Lord, and all the priests and the people came to dedicate it. The glory of the Lord fell as in a cloud, obscuring all, and Solomon shouted out: “The Lord intends to dwell in the dark cloud” (1 Kings 8:12). The cloud was so thick that no one could see anything. The priests couldn’t even continue ministering. But Solomon rejoiced—God’s presence would reside in the Temple forever!
Now think about the Gospel reading. Having crossed the Sea of Galilee with his disciples, Jesus is getting out of the boat. And Mark tells us: “People immediately recognized him” (Mark 6:54). Jesus didn’t do anything. He didn’t say anything. He just was, and people identified him. Where Solomon rejoiced in the midst of a heavenly darkness, these people rejoiced in Jesus, the Light of the world.
Yes, the light has dawned—and that light continues to shine. God, who said: “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts. We live in the time of fulfillment. We live in the era of the light, the time of salvation and redemption.
We get to see our lives through God’s eyes. We get to think with his thoughts and to love with his heart. Oh sure, there are a lot of things we still can’t see, a lot of things we still don’t understand. But if the people of Israel rejoiced in the glory of a dark cloud, how much more should we rejoice in all that has already been revealed to us in Christ!
So what has been revealed? First and foremost, Jesus, our Redeemer, has opened heaven for us and filled us with his Spirit. We don’t have to content ourselves with the mysterious cloud that filled Solomon with amazement. We have God’s presence in our very hearts, lighting the way for us. So rejoice today—you are a child of light!
“Thank you, Father, for calling me into your marvelous light. May it shine brightly in my heart today, so that I can rejoice with a joy that draws others to you.”
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