Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 22, 2020
First Reading: 1 Samuel 17.32-33, 37, 40-51
32When he had been led to Saul, he said to him: "Let no one lose heart over him. I, your servant, shall go and fight against the Philistine.33And Saul said to David: "You are not able to withstand this Philistine, nor to fight against him. For you are a boy, but he has been a warrior from his boyhood.37And David said, "The Lord who rescued me from the hand of the lion, and from the hand of the bear, he himself will free me from the hand of this Philistine." Then Saul said to David, "Go, and may the Lord be with you.40And he took up his staff, which he held always in his hands. And he chose for himself five very smooth stones from the torrent. And he put them into the shepherd’s bag that he had with him. And he took up a sling in his hand. And he went out against the Philistine41And the Philistine, advancing, went and drew near against David. And his armor bearer was before him42And when the Philistine had seen and considered David, he despised him. For he was a youth, ruddy and of handsome appearance43And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you approach against me with a staff?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods44And he said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air, and to the beasts of the earth.45But David said to the Philistine: "You approach me with sword, and spear, and shield. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, which you have reproached46Today, the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down. And I will take your head from you. And today, I will give the carcasses of the camp of the Philistines to the birds of the air, and to the beasts of the earth, so that all the earth may know that God is with Israel47And this entire assembly will know that the Lord does not save by sword, nor by spear. For this is his war, and he will deliver you into our hands.48Then, when the Philistine had risen up, and was approaching, and was drawing near against David, David hurried and ran to the fight against the Philistine49And he put his hand into his bag, and took out one stone. And swinging it around, he cast it with the sling and struck the Philistine on the forehead. And the stone became imbedded in his forehead. And he fell on his face, upon the ground50And David prevailed against the Philistine with a sling and a stone. And he struck and killed the Philistine. But since David held no sword in his hand51he ran and stood over the Philistine, and he took his sword, and withdrew it from the sheath. And he killed him and cut off his head. Then the Philistines, seeing that their strongest man was dead, fled away
Psalm 144
1A Psalm of David versus Goliath. Blessed is the Lord, my God, who trains my hands for the battle and my fingers for the war2My mercy and my refuge, my supporter and my deliverer, my protector and him in whom I have hoped: he subdues my people under me3O Lord, what is man that you have become known to him? Or the son of man that you consider him4Man has been made similar to vanity. His days pass by like a shadow5O Lord, incline your heavens and descend. Touch the mountains, and they will smoke6Send a flash of lightning, and you will scatter them. Shoot your arrows, and you will set them in disarray7Send forth your hand from on high: rescue me, and free me from many waters, from the hand of the sons of foreigners8Their mouth has been speaking vain things, and their right hand is the right hand of iniquity9To you, O God, I will sing a new song. On the psaltery, with an instrument of ten strings, I will sing psalms to you10He gives salvation to kings. He has redeemed your servant David from the malignant sword11Rescue me, and deliver me from the hand of the sons of foreigners. Their mouth has been speaking vain things, and their right hand is the right hand of iniquity12Their sons are like new plantings in their youth. Their daughters are dressed up: adorned all around like the idols of a temple13Their cupboards are full: overflowing from one thing into another. Their sheep bear young, brought forth in abundance14Their cattle are fat. There is no ruined wall or passage, nor anyone crying out in their streets15They have called the people that has these things: blessed. But blessed is the people whose God is the Lord
Gospel: Mark 3.1-6
1And again, he entered into the synagogue. And there was a man there who had a withered hand2And they observed him, to see if he would cure on the Sabbaths, so that they might accuse him3And he said to the man who had the withered hand, "Stand up in the middle.4And he said to them: "Is it lawful to do good on the Sabbaths, or to do evil, to give health to a life, or to destroy?" But they remained silent5And looking around at them with anger, being very saddened over the blindness of their hearts, he said to the man, "Extend your hand." And he extended it, and his hand was restored to him6Then the Pharisees, going out, immediately took counsel with the Herodians against him, as to how they might destroy him
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful stories that invite us to reflect on trust, compassion, and courage. The first reading from 1 Samuel tells the story of David and Goliath, where David, a young shepherd, trusts in God's power to defeat the giant Goliath. Despite the odds, David's faith prevails, demonstrating that true strength comes from God. The Gospel from Mark shares the story of Jesus healing a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, challenging the Pharisees' legalism. Jesus prioritizes compassion, showing that doing good is always in line with God's will.
Both stories highlight the theme of standing against societal or religious expectations. David is dismissed for his youth, yet his trust in God leads to victory. Similarly, Jesus faces opposition for healing on the Sabbath, yet His compassion and commitment to God's commandment shine through. These narratives connect through their emphasis on trusting God and doing what is right, even when it goes against the norm.
In our daily lives, these stories inspire us to face challenges with faith and courage. They remind us to trust in God's plan and to act with compassion, even when it's difficult. Let us prioritize love and trust in God, just as David and Jesus did, and stand up for what is right, guided by His wisdom and grace.