Daily Readings - Wed Jan 17 2024
1 Samuel
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.
Mark
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 faith, trust in God, and the triumph of divine love over human limitations. The first reading from 1 Samuel tells the story of David and Goliath, a tale of a young shepherd who, armed with nothing but a sling and stones, confronts a towering giant. Despite Saul's doubts and Goliath's mockery, David places his trust in God, declaring, "The Lord who delivered me from the hand of the lion and the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." With unwavering faith, David defeats Goliath, proving that true strength comes not from human might but from reliance on God.
The Gospel from Mark presents a different kind of battle, one between compassion and legalism. Jesus encounters a man with a withered hand in the synagogue on the Sabbath. The Pharisees, more concerned with rules than with healing, watch to see if Jesus will "break" the Sabbath. Jesus, however, sees the human need and acts with mercy. He heals the man, demonstrating that the Sabbath was made for humanity, not the other way around. His actions provoke anger in the Pharisees, who begin to plot against him. This passage reminds us that love and compassion should always take precedence over rigid adherence to rules.
Both readings call us to trust in God's providence and to prioritize love and mercy in our lives. Like David, we may face challenges that seem insurmountable, but with faith, we can overcome them. Like Jesus, we are called to see the needs of others and act with compassion, even when it goes against the expectations of others. May we, in our own lives, choose to trust in God's power and to love without limits, just as David and Jesus did.