Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 18, 2020
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
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
Psalm 21
1Unto the end. A Psalm of David. In your virtue, Lord, the king will rejoice, and over your salvation, he will exult exceedingly2You have granted him the desire of his heart, and you have not cheated him of the wish of his lips3For you have gone ahead of him with blessings of sweetness. You have placed a crown of precious stones on his head4He petitioned you for life, and you have granted him length of days, in the present time, and forever and ever5Great is his glory in your salvation. Glory and great adornment, you will lay upon him6For you will give him as a blessing forever and ever. You will make him rejoice with gladness in your presence7Because the king hopes in the Lord, and in the mercy of the Most High, he will not be disturbed8May your hand be found by all your enemies. May your right hand discover all those who hate you9You will make them like an oven of fire, in the time of your presence. The Lord will stir them up with his wrath, and fire will devour them10You will destroy their fruit from the earth and their offspring from the sons of men11For they have turned evils upon you; they have devised plans, which they have not been able to accomplish12For you will make them turn their back; with your remnants, you will prepare their countenance13Be exalted, Lord, by your own power. We will play music and sing psalms to your virtues
Gospel: Mark 2.13-17
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 God's unexpected grace and mission. The first reading from 1 Samuel tells the story of Saul, a young man tasked with finding his father's donkeys. Unbeknownst to Saul, this ordinary task leads him to the prophet Samuel, who anoints him as the first king of Israel. This moment marks a significant shift in Israel's history, as God chooses a humble and reluctant leader to guide His people. The anointing of Saul with oil symbolizes God's favor and the beginning of a new era for Israel.
In the Gospel of Mark, we find Jesus calling Levi, a tax collector, to follow Him. Levi, considered a sinner by society, leaves his post immediately to follow Jesus. This act of faith draws criticism from the Pharisees, who question Jesus' association with sinners. Jesus' response underscores His mission: He came not to call the righteous, but sinners, emphasizing compassion and mercy over ritual purity.
Both readings highlight God's penchant for the unexpected. Saul, an unlikely leader, and Levi, a marginalized tax collector, are chosen by God for significant roles. These stories remind us that God's grace often appears in unexpected places and through unexpected people. They challenge us to embrace humility, remain open to God's call, and extend compassion to all, especially those on the margins. Let us reflect on how we might be called to serve in unexpected ways and how we can offer love and understanding to those around us, just as Jesus did.