Daily Readings - Wed Jan 19 2022
1 Samuel
32And David said to Saul, "Let no man's heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine."33And Saul said to David, "You are not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him, for you are but a youth, and he has been a man of war from his youth."37And David said, "The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." And Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you!"40Then he took his staff in his hand and chose five smooth stones from the brook and put them in his shepherd's pouch. His sling was in his hand, and he approached the Philistine.41And the Philistine moved forward and came near to David, with his shield-bearer in front of him.42And when the Philistine looked and saw David, he disdained him, for he was but a youth, ruddy and handsome in appearance.43And the Philistine said to David, "Am I a dog, that you come to me with sticks?" And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.44The Philistine said to David, "Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field."45Then David said to the Philistine, "You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.46This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel,47and that all this assembly may know that the LORD saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the LORD's, and he will give you into our hand."48When the Philistine arose and came and drew near to meet David, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet the Philistine.49And David put his hand in his bag and took out a stone and slung it and struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell on his face to the ground.50So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. There was no sword in the hand of David.51Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him and cut off his head with it. When the Philistines saw that their champion was dead, they fled.
Mark
1Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand.2And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him.3And he said to the man with the withered hand, "Come here."4And he said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent.5And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored.6The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.
Sermon
In today's readings, we encounter two profound stories that invite us to reflect on faith, compassion, and the triumph of God's will over human limitations. The first reading from 1 Samuel tells the story of David and Goliath, a tale of trust in God's power. David, a young shepherd, faces the giant Goliath with nothing but a sling and stone, yet his faith in God's deliverance leads to a miraculous victory. This story reminds us that true strength comes not from physical might but from unwavering faith in God.
In the Gospel of Mark, we see Jesus healing a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, an act that sparks controversy among the Pharisees and Herodians. Jesus' compassion and commitment to human well-being over rigid tradition highlight the importance of prioritizing love and mercy. Both stories underscore the theme of trusting God and acting with compassion, even in the face of adversity or societal expectations.
These readings encourage us to apply such faith and compassion in our daily lives. Just as David trusted God to overcome Goliath, we too can face our challenges with faith, knowing God is with us. Similarly, Jesus' example teaches us to prioritize love and mercy, even when it means challenging the status quo. Let us strive to live with such faith and compassion, trusting in God's plan and extending love to all we meet.