Daily Readings - Mon Jan 17 2022
1 Samuel
16"Stop!" Samuel said to Saul. "Let me tell you what the LORD said to me last night.Tell me," Saul replied.17Samuel said, "Although you were once small in your own eyes, did you not become the head of the tribes of Israel? The LORD anointed you king over Israel.18And he sent you on a mission, saying, 'Go and completely destroy those wicked people, the Amalekites; make war on them until you have wiped them out.'19Why did you not obey the LORD? Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD?"20"But I did obey the LORD," Saul said. "I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king.21The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal."22But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.23For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."
Mark
18Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, "How is it that John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?"19Jesus answered, "How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so long as they have him with them.20But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them, and on that day they will fast.21"No one sews a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull away from the old, making the tear worse.22And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new wineskins."
Sermon
The readings today invite us to reflect on the themes of obedience, faithfulness, and the newness of life in Christ. In the first reading, Samuel confronts King Saul for his disobedience to God’s command to destroy the Amalekites and their possessions. Saul, though chosen by God, failed to fully obey, justifying his actions by keeping some of the spoils for sacrifice. Samuel’s response is clear: obedience is more pleasing to God than sacrifice. This passage reminds us that partial obedience is not true obedience and that following God’s will requires humility and surrender.
In the Gospel, Jesus responds to the question about fasting by comparing his disciples to sons of the wedding, who cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them. He then uses parables of the patch, the wineskins, and the wine to emphasize that his message is new and cannot be contained in old practices. Just as new wine must be put into new wineskins, so too does the Good News of the Kingdom require hearts that are open to change and renewal. This teaching challenges us to let go of old ways of thinking and living, embracing instead the fresh life and freedom that Christ offers.
Both readings call us to examine our relationship with God and our willingness to follow Him fully. Like Saul, we may sometimes try to justify our partial obedience or hold onto things that are not of God. Like the Pharisees, we may cling to old traditions and miss the new life Christ offers. Today, let us ask ourselves: Am I truly listening to God’s voice and obeying His will? Am I open to the newness of life that Christ brings? May we surrender our hearts to Him, allowing Him to transform us and fill us with His Spirit, so that we may live as His disciples in a world that so desperately needs His love.