Daily Readings - Wed Jan 17 2018

First Reading - 1 Samuel 17.32-33, 37, 40-51

³²And David said to Saul, Let no man's heart fail because of him; thy servant will go and fight with this Philistine.³³And Saul said to David, Thou art not able to go against this Philistine to fight with him: for thou art but a youth, and he a man of war from his youth.³⁷David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.⁴⁰And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine.⁴¹And the Philistine came on and drew near unto David; and the man that bare the shield went before him.⁴²And when the Philistine looked about, and saw David, he disdained him: for he was but a youth, and ruddy, and of a fair countenance.⁴³And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.⁴⁴And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.⁴⁵Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.⁴⁶This day will the LORD deliver thee into mine hand; and I will smite thee, and take thine head from thee; and I will give the carcases of the host of the Philistines this day unto the fowls 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 all this assembly shall know that the LORD saveth not with sword and spear: for the battle is the LORD'S, and he will give you into our hands.⁴⁸And it came to pass, when the Philistine arose, and came and drew nigh to meet David, that David hasted, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine.⁴⁹And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.⁵⁰So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and with a stone, and smote the Philistine, and slew him; but there was no sword in the hand of David.⁵¹Therefore David ran, and stood upon the Philistine, and took his sword, and drew it out of the sheath thereof, and slew him, and cut off his head therewith. And when the Philistines saw their champion was dead, they fled.

Gospel - Mark 3.1-6

Mark

Chapter 3

¹And he entered again into the synagogue; and there was a man there which had a withered hand.²And they watched him, whether he would heal him on the sabbath day; that they might accuse him.³And he saith unto the man which had the withered hand, Stand forth.⁴And he saith unto them, Is it lawful to do good on the sabbath days, or to do evil? to save life, or to kill? But they held their peace.⁵And when he had looked round about on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith unto the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.⁶And the Pharisees went forth, and straightway took counsel with the Herodians against him, how they might destroy him.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on trust in God and the transformative power of faith. The first reading from 1 Samuel recounts the iconic story of David and Goliath. David, a young shepherd, faces the giant Goliath with nothing but a sling and stone, yet his unwavering faith in God leads him to victory. This story reminds us that true strength comes not from human might but from trusting in the Lord. The context of this story is one of fear and doubt among the Israelites, but David's courage, rooted in his relationship with God, shows that even the most daunting challenges can be overcome when we place our trust in Him. The Gospel from Mark presents a different kind of challenge. Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, which provokes the Pharisees and Herodians to plot against Him. This reading highlights the tension between rigid legalism and the compassionate heart of God. Jesus' actions demonstrate that love and mercy should always take precedence over strict adherence to rules. The context here is the Pharisees' obsession with the law, which blinds them to the greater good. Jesus' response shows us that faith is not about following rules but about living out God's love in the world. Both readings remind us to trust in God's power and to prioritize love and compassion in our lives. Like David, we may face giants in our own lives—challenges that seem insurmountable. But if we place our trust in God, we can overcome them. Like Jesus, we are called to live out our faith in ways that bring healing and hope to others, even when it means challenging the status quo. Let us reflect on how we can apply this trust and compassion in our daily lives, seeking to be instruments of God's love in a world that often values power over people.