Daily Readings - Mon Jan 15 2024
1 Samuel
16Then Samuel said to Saul, "Permit me, and I will reveal to you what the Lord has said to me this night." And he said to him, "Speak.17And Samuel said: "Was it not when you were little in your own eyes that you were made the head of the tribes of Israel? And the Lord anointed you as king over Israel18And the Lord sent you on the way, and he said: ‘Go and put to death the sinners of Amalek. And you shall fight against them, even unto utter annihilation.19Why then, did you not listen to the voice of the Lord? Instead, you turned to the spoils, and you did evil in the eyes of the Lord.20And Saul said to Samuel: "On the contrary, I did listen to the voice of the Lord, and I walked in the way along which the Lord sent me, and I led back Agag, the king of Amalek, and I put to death Amalek21But the people took some of the spoils, sheep and oxen, as the first-fruits of those things that were slain, to immolate to the Lord their God at Gilgal.22And Samuel said: "Does the Lord want holocausts and victims, and not instead that the voice of the Lord should be obeyed? For obedience is better than sacrifice. And to heed is greater than to offer the fat of rams23Therefore, it is like the sin of paganism to rebel. And it is like the crime of idolatry to refuse to obey. For this reason, therefore, because you have rejected the word of the Lord, the Lord has also rejected you from being king.
Mark
18And the disciples of John, and the Pharisees, were fasting. And they arrived and said to him, "Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?19And Jesus said to them: "How can the sons of the wedding fast while the groom is still with them? During whatever time they have the groom with them, they are not able to fast20But the days will arrive when the groom will be taken away from them, and then they shall fast, in those days21No one sews a patch of new cloth onto an old garment. Otherwise, the new addition pulls away from the old, and the tear becomes worse22And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the wine will burst the wineskins, and the wine will pour out, and the wineskins will be lost. Instead, new wine must be put into new wineskins.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful lessons that challenge us to reflect on our relationship with God and our spiritual practices. The first reading from 1 Samuel recounts the confrontation between Samuel and Saul, where Saul's partial obedience and self-justification lead to his rejection as king. Samuel emphasizes that obedience to God's will is far more important than outward acts of sacrifice or religious rituals. This story reminds us that true faith requires listening to and following God's voice, even when it is difficult or uncomfortable.
The Gospel reading from Mark presents Jesus addressing the question of fasting. Jesus uses the parables of the groom and the new cloth and wineskins to illustrate that His teachings bring a newness that cannot be contained within the old traditions. Just as new wine must be put into new wineskins, Jesus' message requires a fresh and open heart, willing to embrace change and growth. This challenges us to move beyond rigid practices and instead focus on the deeper spiritual renewal that Jesus offers.
Both readings invite us to examine our own lives. Are we like Saul, justifying our actions and holding onto what is familiar, or are we open to the new life and teachings that Jesus offers? Let us ask ourselves: Am I truly listening to God's voice and following His will, or am I content with superficial religious practices? May we have the courage to embrace the newness that Jesus brings, letting go of old ways and allowing His Spirit to transform us. In doing so, we will find a deeper connection with God and live more authentically as His disciples.