1st READING
This time Samuel anoints the least likely of candidates as king – the youngest son of Jesse, David. And David, as we are all aware, was the best of the kings of Israel. It is not the exterior of a person or an idea that matters; it is the interior of substance that is critical. How do we judge that? Hopefully we can avoid having to make that judgment too often and leave it in God’s hands. However, there will be times that we have to make such judgments, so let us learn how to recognize and judge the character of a person or idea.
1 Samuel 16:1-13
1 The Lord said to Samuel: “How long will you grieve for Saul, whom I have rejected as king of Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and be on your way. I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem, for I have chosen my king from among his sons.” 2 But Samuel replied: “How can I go? Saul will hear of it and kill me.” To this the Lord answered: “Take a heifer along and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the Lord.’ 3 Invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I myself will tell you what to do; you are to anoint for me the one I point out to you.” 4 Samuel did as the Lord had commanded him. When he entered Bethlehem, the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and inquired, “Is your visit peaceful, O seer?” 5 He replied: “Yes! I have come to sacrifice to the Lord. So cleanse yourselves and join me today for the banquet.” He also had Jesse and his sons cleanse themselves and invited them to the sacrifice. 6 As they came, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is here before him.” 7 But the Lord said to Samuel: “Do not judge from his appearance or from his lofty stature, because I have rejected him. Not as man sees does God see, because he sees the appearance but the Lord looks into the heart.” 8 Then Jesse called Abinadab and presented him before Samuel, who said, “The Lord has not chosen him.” 9 Next Jesse presented Shammah, but Samuel said, “The Lord has not chosen this one either.” 10 In the same way Jesse presented seven sons before Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, “The Lord has not chosen any one of these.” 11 Then Samuel asked Jesse, “Are these all the sons you have?” Jesse replied, “There is still the youngest, who is tending the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send for him; we will not begin the sacrificial banquet until he arrives here.” 12 Jesse sent and had the young man brought to them. He was ruddy, a youth handsome to behold and making a splendid appearance. The Lord said, “There — anoint him, for this is he!” 13 Then Samuel, with the horn of oil in hand, anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and from that day on, the spirit of the Lord rushed upon David. When Samuel took his leave, he went to Ramah.
P S A L M
Psalm 89:20, 21-22, 27-28
R: I have found David, my servant.
19 [20] Once you spoke in a vision, and to your faithful ones you said: “On a champion I have placed a crown; over the people I have set a youth.” (R) 20 [21] “I have found David, my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him, 21 [22] That my hand may be always with him, and that my arm may make him strong.” (R) 26 [27] “He shall say of me, ‘You are my father, my God, the rock, my savior.’ 27 [28] And I will make him the first-born, highest of the kings of the earth. (R)
GOSPEL
The Sabbath Law is similar to that of fasting. It is there to remind us to dedicate part of our week to God. It reminds us that our relationship with God deserves our attention to the point that we should devote a significant part of our time to it – at least a day in the week. We should also pray daily. Very few of us would seem to be too busy to devote that much time to God and prayer, but don’t we try to organize our week such that Sunday is a day for the family? We cannot say we cannot do something if we have not really tried to do it.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ enlighten the eyes of our hearts, that we may know what is the hope that belongs to our call.
Mark 2:23-28
23 As Jesus was passing through a field of grain on the sabbath, his disciples began to make a path while picking the heads of grain. 24 At this the Pharisees said to him, “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” 25 He said to them, “Have you never read what David did when he was in need and he and his companions were hungry? 26 How he went into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest and ate the bread of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat, and shared it with his companions?” 27 Then he said to them, “The sabbath was made for man, not man for the sabbath.” 28 That is why the Son of Man is Lord even of the sabbath.”
READING 2nd READING
GOSPEL PSALM
think: It is not the exterior of a person or an idea that matters; it is the interior of substance that is critical.
T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST
Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________
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God’s special verse/thought for me today________________
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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Luke 10-12
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