Catholic daily readings

Friday of the 2nd Week in Ordinary Time

Friday, January 23, 2026 · Ordinary Time - Week 2

The readings meet you in the ordinary place where faith is practiced. Stay with what Jesus says or does here, and let it ask for one honest response.

Today’s readings

First Reading

1 Samuel 24:3-21

He came to the sheep pens by the way, where there was a cave; and Saul went in to relieve himself. Now David and his men were staying in the innermost parts of the cave. David's men said to him, "Behold, the day of which the LORD said to you, 'Behold, I will deliver your enemy into your hand, and you shall do to him as it shall seem good to you.' " Then David arose and cut off the skirt of Saul's robe secretly. Afterward, David's heart struck him because he had cut off Saul's skirt. He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do this thing to my lord, the LORD's anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, since he is the LORD's anointed." So David checked his men with these words, and didn't allow them to rise against Saul. Saul rose up out of the cave, and went on his way. David also arose afterward, and went out of the cave and cried after Saul, saying, "My lord the king!" When Saul looked behind him, David bowed with his face to the earth, and showed respect. David said to Saul, "Why do you listen to men's words, saying, 'Behold, David seeks to harm you'? Behold, today your eyes have seen how the LORD had delivered you today into my hand in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you. I said, 'I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the LORD's anointed.' Moreover, my father, behold, yes, see the skirt of your robe in my hand; for in that I cut off the skirt of your robe and didn't kill you, know and see that there is neither evil nor disobedience in my hand. I have not sinned against you, though you hunt for my life to take it. May the LORD judge between me and you, and may the LORD avenge me of you; but my hand will not be on you. As the proverb of the ancients says, 'Out of the wicked comes wickedness;' but my hand will not be on you. Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue? A dead dog? A flea? May the LORD therefore be judge, and give sentence between me and you, and see, and plead my cause, and deliver me out of your hand." It came to pass, when David had finished speaking these words to Saul, that Saul said, "Is that your voice, my son David?" Saul lifted up his voice and wept. He said to David, "You are more righteous than I; for you have done good to me, whereas I have done evil to you. You have declared today how you have dealt well with me, because when the LORD had delivered me up into your hand, you didn't kill me. For if a man finds his enemy, will he let him go away unharmed? Therefore may the LORD reward you good for that which you have done to me today. Now, behold, I know that you will surely be king, and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hand. Swear now therefore to me by the LORD that you will not cut off my offspring after me, and that you will not destroy my name out of my father's house."

Responsorial Psalm

Psalm 57:2, 3-4, 6 and 11

I cry out to God Most High, to God who accomplishes my requests for me. He will send from heaven, and save me, he rebukes the one who is pursuing me. Selah. God will send out his loving kindness and his truth. My soul is among lions. I lie among those who are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. They have prepared a net for my steps. My soul is bowed down. They dig a pit before me. They fall into the middle of it themselves. Selah. Be exalted, God, above the heavens. Let your glory be over all the earth.

Gospel

Mark 3:13-19

He went up into the mountain and called to himself those whom he wanted, and they went to him. He appointed twelve, that they might be with him, and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James the son of Zebedee; and John, the brother of James, (whom he called Boanerges, which means, Sons of Thunder); Andrew; Philip; Bartholomew; Matthew; Thomas; James, the son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot; and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him. Then he came into a house.

Scripture text: World English Bible Catholic Edition, public domain. Reading citations are prepared for Come Aside from MIT-licensed citation metadata.