Daily Readings - Mon Jan 27 2020
2 Samuel
1Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, "Behold, we are your bone and flesh.2In times past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the LORD said to you, 'You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over Israel.'"3So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel.4David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years.5At Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and at Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.6And the king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, who said to David, "You will not come in here, but the blind and the lame will ward you off"--thinking, "David cannot come in here."7Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.10And David became greater and greater, for the LORD, the God of hosts, was with him.
Mark
22And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, "He is possessed by Beelzebul," and "by the prince of demons he casts out the demons."23And he called them to him and said to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan?24If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand.25And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.26And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end.27But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.28"Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter,29but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"--30for they had said, "He has an unclean spirit."
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on leadership, faith, and the Holy Spirit. The first reading from 2 Samuel recounts David's anointing as king over Israel, highlighting his victories and God's steadfast presence. The second reading from Mark's Gospel presents Jesus facing accusations from scribes who attribute His miracles to Beelzebub, to which Jesus responds with a parable about the impossibility of a divided kingdom and the gravity of blaspheming the Holy Spirit.
Both readings share a common theme of leadership amidst opposition. David, anointed by God, faces the Jebusites, while Jesus confronts the scribes' skepticism. These stories remind us that true leadership is not without challenge but is sustained by divine support. The context of 2 Samuel is the transition from Saul's reign to David's, marking a new era for Israel. In Mark, the context is the growing opposition to Jesus, reflecting the tensions between religious authorities and His divine mission.
Applying these readings to our lives, we are called to trust in God's plan, especially when facing adversity. Like David, we must rely on faith to overcome obstacles. Similarly, Jesus' words caution us against dismissing the Holy Spirit's work, urging us to discern God's presence in our lives. The moral lesson here is the importance of faith and the reverence due to the Holy Spirit. As we navigate our own challenges, may we trust in God's guidance and remain attentive to the Spirit's voice, avoiding the temptation to doubt or reject divine intervention.