Daily Readings - Tue Jan 16 2018

First Reading - 1 Samuel 16.1-13

¹And the Lord said to Samuel: "How long will you mourn for Saul, though I have rejected him, so that he would not reign over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and approach, so that I may send you to Jesse of Bethlehem. For I have provided a king from among his sons for myself.²And Samuel said: "How shall I go? For Saul will hear of it, and he will put me to death." And the Lord said: "You shall take, by your hand, a calf from the herd. And you shall say, ‘I have arrived in order to immolate to the Lord.³And you shall call Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will reveal to you what you should do. And you shall anoint whomever I will indicate to you.⁴Therefore, Samuel did just as the Lord told him. And he went to Bethlehem, and the elders of the city wondered. And meeting him, they said, "Is your arrival peaceful?⁵And he said: "It is peaceful. I have arrived in order to immolate to the Lord. Be sanctified, and come with me to the sacrifice." Then he sanctified Jesse and his sons, and he called them to the sacrifice⁶And when they had entered, he saw Eliab, and he said, "Could he be the Christ in the sight of the Lord?⁷And the Lord said to Samuel: "You should not look with favor on his face, nor on the height of his stature. For I have rejected him. Neither do I judge by the appearance of a man. For man sees those things that are apparent, but the Lord beholds the heart.⁸And Jesse called Abinadab, and he brought him before Samuel. And he said, "Neither has the Lord chosen this one.⁹Then Jesse brought Shammah. And he said about him, "And the Lord has not chosen this one.¹⁰And so Jesse brought his seven sons before Samuel. And Samuel said to Jesse, "The Lord has not chosen any of these.¹¹And Samuel said to Jesse, "Could the sons now be completed?" But he responded, "There still remains a little one, and he pastures the sheep." And Samuel said to Jesse: "Send and bring him. For we shall not recline to eat, until he arrives here.¹²Therefore, he sent and brought him. Now he was ruddy, and beautiful to behold, and with a stately face. And the Lord said, "Rise up, anoint him! For it is he.¹³Therefore, Samuel took the horn of oil, and he anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the Lord was guiding David from that day and thereafter. And Samuel rose up, and he went away to Ramah

Gospel - Mark 2.23-28

Mark

Chapter 2

²³And again, while the Lord was walking through the ripe grain on the Sabbath, his disciples, as they advanced, began to separate the ears of grains²⁴But the Pharisees said to him, "Behold, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbaths?²⁵And he said to them: "Have you never read what David did, when he had need and was hungry, both he and those who were with him²⁶How he went into the house of God, under the high priest Abiathar, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful to eat, except for the priests, and how he gave it to those who were with him?²⁷And he said to them: "The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath²⁸And so, the Son of man is Lord, even of the Sabbath.

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter profound lessons about divine wisdom and the purpose of religious traditions. The first reading from 1 Samuel recounts God's rejection of Saul and the anointing of David, a young shepherd, as the new king. This story highlights God's ability to see beyond outward appearances and choose the humble and unexpected. Samuel, initially deceived by Eliab's stature, learns that true leadership comes from the heart, not physical presence. This teaches us to trust in God's discernment and not judge others by how they look. The Gospel from Mark complements this theme as Jesus challenges the Pharisees' rigid interpretation of the Sabbath. When his disciples pick grain on the Sabbath, Jesus defends their actions by referencing David's actions when he and his men ate the bread of Presence, which was reserved for priests. Jesus emphasizes that the Sabbath was created for humanity's benefit, not as a restrictive rule. This reminds us that religious practices should serve people, not control them. Together, these readings invite us to embrace humility and trust in God's plan. They encourage us to look beyond appearances and focus on the heart, just as God did with David. They also remind us that religious laws are meant to enhance life, not restrict it. Let us remain open to God's unexpected ways and trust in His wisdom, just as David was chosen and Jesus taught about the Sabbath.