Daily Readings - Fri Jan 24 2020
1 Samuel
2Therefore, Saul, taking three thousand elect men from all of Israel, traveled in order to search for David and his men, even upon the most broken rocks, which are passable only to mountain goats3And he arrived at the sheepfolds, which presented themselves along the way. And a cave was in that place, which Saul entered, so that he might ease his bowels. But David and his men were hiding in the interior part of the cave4And the servants of David said to him: "Behold the day, about which the Lord said to you, ‘I will deliver your enemy to you, so that you may do to him as it will be pleasing in your eyes.’ " Then David rose up, and he quietly cut off the edge of Saul’s cloak5After this, his own heart struck David, because he had cut off the edge of Saul’s cloak6And he said to his men: "May the Lord be gracious to me, lest I do this thing to my lord, the Christ of the Lord, so that I lay my hand upon him. For he is the Christ of the Lord.7And David restrained his men with his words, and he would not permit them to rise up against Saul. And so Saul, going out of the cave, continued to undertake his journey8Then David also rose up after him. And departing from the cave, he cried out behind the back of Saul, saying: "My lord, the king!" And Saul looked behind him. And David, bowing himself face down to the ground, reverenced9And he said to Saul: "Why do you listen to the words of men who say: ‘David seeks evil against you?10Behold, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord has delivered you into my hand, in the cave. And I thought that I might kill you. But my eye has spared you. For I said: I will not extend my hand against my lord, for he is the Christ of the Lord11Moreover, see and know, O my father, the edge of your cloak in my hand. For though I cut off the top of your cloak, I was not willing to extend my hand against you. Turn your soul and see that there is no evil in my hand, nor any iniquity or sin against you. Yet you lie in wait for my life, so that you may take it away12May the Lord judge between me and you. And may the Lord vindicate me from you. But my hand will not be against you13So too, it is said in the ancient proverb, ‘From the impious, impiety will go forth.’ Therefore, my hand will not be upon you.14Whom are you pursuing, O king of Israel? Whom are you pursuing? You are pursuing a dead dog, a single flea15May the Lord be the judge, and may he judge between me and you. And may he see and judge my case, and rescue me from your hand.16And when David had completed speaking words in this way to Saul, Saul said, "Could this be your voice, my son David?" And Saul lifted up his voice, and he wept17And he said to David: "You are more just than I am. For you have distributed good to me, but I have repaid evil to you18And you have revealed this day the good that you have done for me: how the Lord delivered me into your hand, but you did not kill me19For who, when he will have found his enemy, will release him along a good path? So may the Lord repay you for this good turn, because you have acted on my behalf this day20And now I know certainly that you shall be king, and you shall have the kingdom of Israel in your hand21Swear to me in the Lord that you will not take away my offspring after me, nor take away my name from the house of my father.
Mark
13And ascending onto a mountain, he called to himself those whom he willed, and they came to him14And he acted so that the twelve would be with him, and so that he might send them out to preach15And he gave them authority to cure infirmities, and to cast out demons16and he imposed on Simon the name Peter17and also he imposed on James of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, the name ‘Boanerges,’ that is, ‘Sons of Thunder;18and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James of Alphaeus, and Thaddeus, and Simon the Canaanite19and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him
Sermon
In today’s first reading from 1 Samuel, we witness a pivotal moment in the story of David and Saul. Saul, driven by jealousy and fear, hunts David relentlessly, even pursuing him into a cave. There, David has the perfect opportunity to kill Saul but instead chooses to spare his life, cutting off only the edge of Saul’s cloak. This act of mercy and restraint is deeply significant, as David recognizes that Saul, despite his actions, is still the Lord’s anointed. David’s decision reflects his trust in God’s plan and his refusal to take matters into his own hands, even when provoked.
In the Gospel, Mark describes how Jesus appoints the Twelve Apostles, calling them to be with him and to share in his mission. This passage emphasizes the importance of trust and vocation. Jesus chooses ordinary men, giving them extraordinary authority to preach, heal, and cast out demons. The naming of Peter and the nicknaming of James and John as “Boanerges” (Sons of Thunder) highlight the unique roles each would play in the mission. This selection underscores God’s trust in imperfect individuals to carry out his work, much like David’s trust in God’s plan despite Saul’s pursuit.
Both readings invite us to reflect on trust and vocation. Like David, we are called to trust in God’s timing and justice, even when circumstances seem unjust or challenging. Like the apostles, we are reminded that we, too, are called by God for a purpose, despite our imperfections. In our daily lives, this means trusting in God’s plan, even when it’s difficult, and embracing the roles and responsibilities he has given us. May we, like David, show mercy and restraint, and may we, like the apostles, embrace our mission with faith and courage.