Daily Readings - Sat Jan 13 2018

First Reading - 1 Samuel 9.1-4, 17-19; 10.1a

¹Now there was a man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, the son of Abiel, the son of Zeror, the son of Becorath, the son of Aphiah, the son of a man of Benjamin, strong and robust²And he had a son called Saul, an elect and good man. And there was not a man among the sons of Israel better than he was. For he stood head and shoulders above all the people³Now the donkeys of Kish, the father of Saul, had become lost. And Kish said to his son Saul, "Take with you one of the servants, and rising up, go out and seek the donkeys." And when they had passed through mount Ephraim⁴and through the land of Shalishah, and had not found them, they crossed also through the land of Shaalim, and they were not there, and through the land of Benjamin, and they found nothing¹⁷And when Samuel had caught sight of Saul, the Lord said to him: "Behold, the man about whom I spoke to you. This one shall rule over my people.¹⁸Then Saul drew near to Samuel, at the middle of the gate, and he said, "Tell me, I beg you: where is the house of the seer?¹⁹And Samuel responded to Saul, saying: "I am the seer. Ascend before me to the high place, so that you may eat with me today. And I will send you away in the morning. And I shall reveal to you everything that is in your heart

Chapter 10

¹Then Samuel took a little vial of oil, and poured it on his head. And he kissed him, and said: "Behold, the Lord has anointed you as first ruler over his inheritance. And you shall free his people from the hands of their enemies, who are all around them. And this shall be a sign for you that God has anointed you as ruler

Gospel - Mark 2.13-17

Mark

Chapter 2

¹³And he departed again to the sea. And the entire crowd came to him, and he taught them¹⁴And as he was passing by, he saw Levi of Alphaeus, sitting at the customs office. And he said to him, "Follow me." And rising up, he followed him¹⁵And it happened that, as he sat at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners sat at table together with Jesus and his disciples. For those who followed him were many¹⁶And the scribes and the Pharisees, seeing that he ate with tax collectors and sinners, said to his disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?¹⁷Jesus, having heard this, said to them: "The healthy have no need of a doctor, but those who have maladies do. For I came not to call the just, but sinners.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two profound stories of divine calling and grace. The first reading from 1 Samuel introduces us to Saul, an ordinary man on an ordinary mission to find his father's donkeys. His unexpected encounter with Samuel, the prophet, leads to his anointing as the first king of Israel. This narrative highlights God's penchant for choosing the unexpected, revealing that His plans often unfold in ways we least anticipate. Similarly, in the Gospel of Mark, we witness Jesus extending a call to Levi, a tax collector, and later sharing a meal with tax collectors and sinners. This act of inclusion prompts the Pharisees to question Jesus, who responds by emphasizing His mission to call not the righteous, but sinners. Both readings underscore God's capacity to see beyond the surface, recognizing potential in those society may overlook. Saul's humble search for donkeys and Levi's controversial profession as a tax collector serve as reminders that God's grace is not confined by human judgment. These stories illustrate that divine calling transcends our perceived limitations, inviting us to trust in God's plan, even when it seems unconventional. In our daily lives, these readings invite us to embrace humility and openness to God's will. Like Saul and Levi, we are called to respond to God's invitations with faith, trusting that He has a purpose for us, regardless of our past or present circumstances. This is a call to look beyond our own judgments and societal labels, recognizing that everyone has the potential to be transformed by God's grace. The moral lesson here is one of trust and inclusion: trusting in God's plan and being open to His call, just as Saul and Levi were, and embracing others with the same grace and compassion that Jesus showed to the tax collectors and sinners.