Daily Catholic Lectio. Mon, 9 February ‘26. Presence of God

Daily Catholic Lectio

Mon, 9 February ‘26

Fifth Week in Ordinary Time, Monday

1 Kgs 8:1-7, 9-13. Mk 6:53-56

Presence of God

The readings today invite us to reflect on a central question of faith: Where does God dwell? How do we experience the presence of God?

In the first reading, Solomon brings the Ark of the Covenant into the Temple with great reverence and celebration. The Ark is not a mere object; it is the sign of God’s covenant with Israel, containing the commandments given through Moses. By installing the Ark in the Temple, Solomon reminds the people that they are not a people who rule themselves at will, but a people governed by God. This is true theocracy: God alone is King, God alone rules.

When the Ark is placed in the Temple, something extraordinary happens. The glory of the Lord fills the house. The cloud of God’s presence is so overwhelming that the priests are unable to perform their rituals. Human activity gives way to divine presence. Here, God’s presence is clearly place-centred—the Temple in Jerusalem—and object-centred—the Ark of the Covenant. God chooses to dwell among his people in a visible, tangible way.

In the Gospel, we see a striking shift. Jesus arrives at Gennesaret, and the people immediately recognize him. They run after him, bring the sick to him, and place them wherever he goes. No Temple, no Ark, no ritual is mentioned. Whoever touches Jesus is healed. God’s presence is no longer confined to a sacred place or a sacred object. In Jesus, God’s presence becomes person-centred. To encounter Jesus is to encounter God. To touch Jesus is to be touched by God’s healing and restoring power.

This movement continues in the life of the Church. Saint Paul, writing to the Corinthians, makes a bold declaration: “You are God’s temple, and God’s Spirit dwells in you.” What was once place-centred, then person-centred in Jesus, now becomes life-centred in every believer. God does not merely visit us; God dwells within us.

This is the message for us today. Each one of us is a living temple of God. We carry within us the image and likeness of God. Therefore, our lives are called to reflect God’s presence wherever we are—in our words, our choices, our relationships, and our service. If God truly dwells in us, then we are called to bring healing where there is brokenness, hope where there is despair, and fullness of life where there is emptiness.

The presence of God is no longer far away. It is not locked in a building or hidden in an object. It walks with us, lives in us, and is revealed through us. May we live in such a way that others, encountering us, may also encounter the living God.

Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi

Archdiocese of Madurai

Missionary of Mercy