Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Homily – January 19, 2010 – Second Week in Ordinary Time

+ We have two very different but beautiful readings today. The first reading is about the finalization of the rejection of Saul as King of Israel (because he took matters into his own hands and disobeyed a direct command of God), and the choosing of a new king to succeed him. Out of all the sons of Jesse, the one who was to be selected was not even present at the initial meeting between Samuel, the prophet of God, and Jesse. It was the youngest, who was out in the fields tending the flocks of sheep that was God's choice. This was David – who would be one of the greatest kings – and a sure forerunner of his own descendant, Jesus who would be King, Messiah, Shepherd and Friend of all Mankind. It was a great day when David was anointed king. It was a greater day when Jesus was born. It is the greatest day when any of us accepts Jesus for who he is our King, our Messiah, our Shepherd, our Friend sent by God his Father and ours. May that day be this day for us!

The gospel passage shows the stature and jurisdiction that Jesus had as Son of God and Son of Man. He was Lord of everything and everyone – not excluding grain in the fields, and the show bread that was kept in the house of God which was to be eaten only by the priests. When hunger was present to Jesus and his disciples he allowed them to pick and eat the heads of grain in the fields as they walked through them on a Sabbath. Jesus defended his lordship over the Sabbath and all activities in it by a simple statement: The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. He also defended common sense over rigid religious legalism at the same time. Love and care for others (feeding the hungry) always comes first on any day of the week!

God found David his servant, when and where he was meant to be found doing his work in the fields; may God find us this day at work doing what he calls us to do as well and may he use us like he used David to do great things for others – even if in small ways!

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