Daily Readings - Tue Jan 18 2022
1 Samuel
1And the Lord said to Samuel: "How long will you mourn for Saul, though I have rejected him, so that he would not reign over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and approach, so that I may send you to Jesse of Bethlehem. For I have provided a king from among his sons for myself.2And Samuel said: "How shall I go? For Saul will hear of it, and he will put me to death." And the Lord said: "You shall take, by your hand, a calf from the herd. And you shall say, ‘I have arrived in order to immolate to the Lord.3And you shall call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will reveal to you what you should do. And you shall anoint whomever I will indicate to you.4Therefore, Samuel did just as the Lord told him. And he went to Bethlehem, and the elders of the city wondered. And meeting him, they said, "Is your arrival peaceful?5And he said: "It is peaceful. I have arrived in order to immolate to the Lord. Be sanctified, and come with me to the sacrifice." Then he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and he called them to the sacrifice6And when they had entered, he saw Eliab, and he said, "Could he be the Christ in the sight of the Lord?7And the Lord said to Samuel: "You should not look with favor on his face, nor on the height of his stature. For I have rejected him. Neither do I judge by the appearance of a man. For man sees those things that are apparent, but the Lord beholds the heart.8And Jesse called Abinadab, and he brought him before Samuel. And he said, "Neither has the Lord chosen this one.9Then Jesse brought Shammah. And he said about him, "And the Lord has not chosen this one.10And so Jesse brought his seven sons before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, "The Lord has not chosen any of these.11And Samuel said to Jesse, "Could the sons now be completed?" But he responded, "There still remains a little one, and he pastures the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse: "Send and bring him. For we shall not recline to eat, until he arrives here.12Therefore, he sent and brought him. Now he was ruddy, and beautiful to behold, and with a stately face. And the Lord said, "Rise up, anoint him! For it is he.13Therefore, Samuel took the horn of oil, and he anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord was guiding David from that day and thereafter. And Samuel rose up, and he went away to Ramah
Mark
23And again, while the Lord was walking through the ripe grain on the Sabbath, his disciples, as they advanced, began to separate the ears of grains24But the Pharisees said to him, "Behold, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbaths?25And he said to them: "Have you never read what David did, when he had need and was hungry, both he and those who were with him26How he went into the house of God, under the high priest Abiathar, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful to eat, except for the priests, and how he gave it to those who were with him?27And he said to them: "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath28And so, the Son of man is Lord, even of the Sabbath.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful moments that invite us to reflect on God’s ways and our relationship with Him. The first reading from 1 Samuel tells the story of Samuel being sent to anoint a new king for Israel after Saul’s rejection. Samuel is instructed to go to Jesse’s household, where he encounters several sons, each appearing more regal than the last. Yet, God repeatedly tells Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature… the Lord looks at the heart.” It is only when the youngest son, David, is brought before Samuel that God reveals His choice. This passage reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways, and His judgment is far deeper than our own.
In the Gospel, Mark presents a scene where Jesus and His disciples are criticized by the Pharisees for picking grain on the Sabbath. Jesus responds by recalling how David, when he was in need, ate the bread of the Presence, which was reserved for priests. He then declares, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” This teaching challenges us to understand the spirit of the law rather than just its letter. Just as God chose the unexpected David to be king, Jesus here emphasizes that true authority comes from God, and His ways often disrupt our expectations.
These readings call us to trust in God’s plan, even when it seems counterintuitive. Like Samuel, we are often tempted to judge by appearances or rely on our own understanding. But God sees what we cannot—the heart. Similarly, like the Pharisees, we may get caught up in rules and traditions, forgetting their purpose. Jesus reminds us that faith is not about rigid observance but about relationship and compassion. Let us ask ourselves: Where am I tempted to rely on my own judgment rather than trusting God’s plan? How can I live in a way that reflects His love and mercy, even when it challenges the status quo?