Daily Catholic Mass Readings for January 20, 2020
First Reading: 1 Samuel 15.16-23
16Then Samuel said unto Saul, Stay, and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night. And he said unto him, Say on.17And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?18And the LORD sent thee on a journey, and said, Go and utterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites, and fight against them until they be consumed.19Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD, but didst fly upon the spoil, and didst evil in the sight of the LORD?20And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and have gone the way which the LORD sent me, and have brought Agag the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites.21But the people took of the spoil, sheep and oxen, the chief of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice unto the LORD thy God in Gilgal.22And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
Psalm 50
1The mighty God, even the LORD, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.2Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.3Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.4He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.5Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.6And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God is judge himself. Selah.7Hear, O my people, and I will speak; O Israel, and I will testify against thee: I am God, even thy God.8I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me.9I will take no bullock out of thy house, nor he goats out of thy folds.10For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills.11I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine.12If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the world is mine, and the fulness thereof.13Will I eat the flesh of bulls, or drink the blood of goats?14Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:15And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.16But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth?17Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest my words behind thee.18When thou sawest a thief, then thou consentedst with him, and hast been partaker with adulterers.19Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit.20Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son.21These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.22Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.23Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God.
Gospel: Mark 2.18-22
18And the disciples of John and of the Pharisees used to fast: and they come and say unto him, Why do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?19And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.20But the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.21No man also seweth a piece of new cloth on an old garment: else the new piece that filled it up taketh away from the old, and the rent is made worse.22And no man putteth new wine into old bottles: else the new wine doth burst the bottles, and the wine is spilled, and the bottles will be marred: but new wine must be put into new bottles.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter two powerful lessons about obedience, humility, and the nature of spiritual renewal. The first reading from 1 Samuel recounts the tragic fall of King Saul. Once chosen by God for his humility, Saul fails to fully obey the Lord’s command to destroy the Amalekites, choosing instead to spare their king and keep the best spoils for himself. Samuel rebukes him, emphasizing that obedience is far more pleasing to God than sacrifice. Saul’s failure to listen and trust in God’s plan leads to his rejection as king. This story reminds us that true leadership and faith require surrendering our will to God’s, even when it’s difficult or uncomfortable.
In the Gospel, Jesus responds to the Pharisees’ question about why his disciples do not fast. He uses the parable of the groom and the patch of new cloth to explain that his presence among them is a time of joy and celebration, not fasting. He also warns that trying to combine the old with the new—whether it’s cloth, wineskins, or spiritual practices—will only lead to division and destruction. Jesus is emphasizing that his mission is not about patching up the old way of life but about bringing something entirely new. This requires openness, flexibility, and a willingness to let go of the past.
These readings call us to reflect on our own relationship with God. Like Saul, we often struggle with partial obedience, holding onto control or comfort instead of fully trusting in God’s plan. And like the Pharisees, we may cling to familiar traditions or practices without considering whether they are still life-giving. Jesus invites us to embrace the newness he brings, to let go of what is old and worn out, and to live with hearts that are open, humble, and ready to follow wherever he leads. May we learn to listen to God’s voice, to obey with courage, and to receive the fresh life he offers us.